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HE TOOK A MONSTROUS BITE.— Page 129. 





KARL 


AND THE 

Queen of Queer-Land. 


Mbs. 


|BT.+k 

|t-i »'«'«' 

E. T. CORBETT, 


35} iLlY/xi 


Jio 


OPVRIGf,^ 

.m&uaIa 


NEW YORK 
AMERICAN BOOK EXCHANGE, 

Tribune Building. 

1880. 






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•C. 


Copyright, 1868, by 
Mrs. E. T. CORBETT. 


PREFACE. 


I. 

Old Dame Nonsense was jolly and fat, 

So was her dog, so was her cat; 

Pussy would grin as she lay in the sun — 

Carlo would wag his tail at the fun — 

Everything laughed in that comical house, 

From the mistress and maids to the tiniest mouse! 

II. 

Everything laughed — the fowls and the fish 
Grinned in the kitchen — smiled on the dish — 

The very potatoes their eyes would wink — 

The clams laughed from ear to ear, you would think 
The cabbage and lettuce kept wagging their heads, 
And the pansies smiled in the garden-beds ! 

hi. 

The butcher’s horse did nothing but grin 
When his master carried the marketing in — 

The crossest people would laugh and roar 
When old Dame Nonsense opened her door — 
While all the children who passed that way 
Danced with delight for the rest of the day. 


IV 


PBEFACE. 


IY. 

Now, here are some of the foolish things 
This droll old woman oft pictures and sings — 

If you are too stupid — (I mean too wise) 

To laugh at foolish things — shut your eyes ! 

For this is a peep, you understand, 

Into that famous Nonsense land; 

And this book was written for those queer folks 
Who don’t need a moral tacked on to all jokes! 


E. T. C. 


CONTENTS, 


PAGE. 

Frontispiece. 

Preface, iii 

Gingerbread House, ........ 3 

Fizz and Freeze, Twelve Illustrations , 12 

Batty Boo and Katty-Kin, 22 

A Lunch Party, 25 

A Visit to Jamboree, One Illustration, .... 27 

How the Lambkins went South, One Illustration, . . 30 

Song of the Numbers, 37 

Giant Booter-Bro, One Illustration, 39 

What the Turkey Wanted, 46 

Land of Fiddle-ma-Ree, 49 

Grammar Song, 52 

Fanny Florence Felicia Finn, 50 

Cat Calls, One Illustration, 57 

What the Sparrow said, 59 

Peter Patchin, 63 

Gretchen and the Bouquet, Two Illustrations, . . .69 

The Oyster and the Clam, 71 

The Lambkins at School, 72 


CONTENTS, 


viii 

' PAGE. 

The Lambkins go a-Fishing, One Illustration, ... 78 

Song of the Dustpan, 86 

Song of the Broom, 87 

The Ambitious BroOm, 88 

Mice in the Cheese, 96 

Puss and Pug, 98 

The Singing-School, 100 

Song of the King of Fiddle-ma-ree, One Illustration , . 105 
Chow-Chow and Ciioo-Choo, One Illustration, . . . 109 

Poker and Tongs, 112 

The Three Wise Women, Four Illustrations, . . . 119 

The Three Wise Men, 121 

The Three Wise Couples, Two Illustrations, . . . 128 

Dick’s Supper, Three Illustrations, 128 

The Bear that loved Company, One Illustration, . . 134 

The Grasshopper’s Fate, 141 

The King’s Taster, . . 143 


Acknowledgments are due to Harper & Bros, for courtesy in 
permitting tlie use of the illustrations, by Abbey, to “Fizz and 
Freeze,” which appeared first in their Magazine ; and to Scribner 
& Co., for like favors for articles first issued in “St. Nicholas.” 
The latter engravings, with many others prepared expressly for this 
Edition, are from the facile pencil of Livingston Hopkins. 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


OR, 

KARL’S QUEER STORIES. 


Karl was in a bad humor, there was no doubt of that. 
He pushed away his books with a frown, and then leaned 
back in his chair, exclaiming : 

“ How I wish I could get rid of these stupid old les- 
sons! They’re so tiresome too — just as if /cared what 
kings lived a hundred years ago, or whether table is a 
noun or a verb. I don’t care anything about it, so 
there !” and Karl jumped up and walked over to the 
window just as the clock on the mantel-shelf struck nine. 

But when he drew aside the window curtains to take 
a look at the sky, he saw’ the very queerest thing. The 
moon was shining brightly, and one silver ray streamed 
right into the window, and down that shining moonbeam 
a queer little old woman came sliding — not running or 
walking, but sliding — with her hands folded on her lap, 
and a wrinkled smile on her funny puckered little face ! 


2 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


Down slie slid, down, until she came close to the win- 
dow. Then she waved her hand once, the glass seemed 
to divide, and the little old woman jumped off the moon- 
beam, shook out her red skirts, and stood smiling close 
to the astonished Karl without speaking a word. 

Now Karl was really a very polite boy, and as soon as 
he noticed that the old woman w T as standing he ran to 
get her a chair, and said with his best bow : 

“ Won’t you take a seat, ma’am? You must be very 
tired, riding on a moonbeam. Have you had a long 
journey ?” 

The queer little old woman only laughed as she sat 
down, but presently she asked, “ Why don’t you study 
your lessons as you ought, Karl? What makes you so 
idle?” 

Karl began to look cross again at' this. “ I hate les- 
sons,” he said at last, “ they are so dull and tiresome. I 
love to read story-books, but these old things” — pushing 
some of the books off the table as he spoke,— “why, I 
can’t like them, you know.” 

The old woman stooped down and picked up the books 
from the floor where they had fallen. 

“ The fact is that you don’t know how to use your 
books,” said she. “ Suppose I show you some nice 
stories in them : what would you say then ?” 


OR, KARL’S queer stories. 


3 


“ I should say it was wonderful,” answered Karl ; 
“ but I would like to see you do it, that’s all.” 

The old woman laughed again, one of her queer puck- 
ered little laughs, and then taking up Karl’s spelling- 
book, she began to shake it violently, holding it in both 
hands as if it was a large pepper-box. After a great deal 
of hard shaking she opened the book, and then Karl 
started with astonishment. All the long straight col- 
umns of words were gone, and in their places were 
pictures and a long story in rhyme ! 

u There !” said the old woman, handing him the book, 
“ now see what your spelling-book says.” 

“ Oh, how wonderful !” exclaimed Karl. u You must 
be a witch, to shake a story out of those long rows of 
words I hate so much,” and so saying Karl drew his 
chair close to the table and began to read the story of 


THE GINGERBREAD HOUSE. 

I. 

The nicest old lady that ever you saw 
Was little Miss Nancy Mehitable More : 

So cunning and small, 

She was only as tall 

As a child of twelve years old and no more ; 


4 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


And she lived all alone 
In a house of her own, 

A gingerbread house, with a chocolate floor! 




ii. 

The house was quite small, 

Two rooms — that was all — 

Right in the middle a nice little hall; 

The walls, as I’ve said, 

Of the best gingerbread, 

The roof of cocoa-nut, colored red, 

Candy windows and door : 

Now who ever saw 

Such a sweet little dwelling as this before ? 


hi. 

One day Miss Nancy Mehitable More 
Was carefully sweeping her chocolate floor, 

And wiping the dust from her candy door. 

When her house-work was done 
She sat in the sun, 

“For I feel quite fatigued,” said little Miss More. 


IV. 

“I’ll think awhile,” said little Miss Nancy; 
“Thinking's a useful thing, I fancy.” 


OR, KARI/S QUEER STORIES. 

So she folded her hands and shut her eyes, 

And looked so very profound and wise 

That the beetles stepped on her toes, and the flies 

Lit on the frill of her cap, to buzz — 

“ She's taking a naj) ! she always does!'''' 


Y. 

Quiet she sat till an hour had passed, 

Then she startled the flies 
By opening her eyes, 

And beginning to talk quite loud and fast : 

“ Dear me ! I’ve had a thought at last — 

I’ll give a ball! 

I’ll ask the children, one and all, 

Never mind if my house is small — 

There’ll be room enough 
For ‘Blindman’s Buff,’ 

‘Puss in the Corner,’ and ‘ Snip, snap, snuff,’ 

‘ Twirl the Platter,’ ‘Pillows and Keys,’ 

‘ Oats, pease, beans, ’ and what they please — 
They shall come at seven 
And go at eleven, 

The girls shan’t flirt and the boys shan’t tease ; 

Why ! the little dears 

Will remember for years 

Miss Nancy’s ball — Hurrah ! three cheers 1” 

And would you believe it? little Miss More 

Gave a feeble chirp that meant : “ Hooroar” 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


VI. 

“But what, oh, what shall we have to eat ?” 
Said Miss More, as she sat on a garden-seat 
Of Everton taffy, crisp and sweet ; — 

“I’m sure it wouldn’t be right to make 
Rich plum pudding and citron cake — 
Almond custards and lemon pies 
Aren’t good for children — no! I’ll be wise. 
The darlings shall have a wholesome tea, 
Nice milk and water, and — let me see — 
Bread and butter and jam, that’s enough, 
No puffs and tarts, 

And peppermint hearts, 

And all that indigestible stuff. 


VII. 

“As for jellies and creams, 

To me it seems 

They’re apt to give the children bad dreams. 
So I’ve made up my mind, 

The dears shan’t find 

Such horrid things here , it would be unkind.” 
Then into her house went little Miss More, 
Shut up her beautiful candy door, 

And began to mix bread ; 

“For I know,” she said : 

“ I shall want a dozen loaves, or more.” 


OR, KARL’S queer stories. 


7 


VIII. 

Of course the invitations were sent, 

Of course the delighted children went, 

Every one dressed 
In his or her best ; 

(’Twas a lovely sight, as their mothers confessed,) 

But alas ! every one on the supper intent. 

IX. 

“The sweetest old lady!” says Johnny to Jenny; 

“Do you think she’ll have mottoes ?” — “Oh, ever so many.” 
“Miss Nancy’s just lovely /” says Amy to Bess : 

“I’ve got a new pocket, see here, in my dress.” 

x. 


These were some of the things the children said 
As they laid their hats and sacks on the bed, 
Miss Nancy’s bed, all ruffled and white, 

And their eyes were bright" 

With expectation and shy delight — 

While little Miss Nancy stood in the hall 
With smiles and kisses to welcome them all. 


XI. 

Well, the games were begun, 

There was plenty of fun, 

Miss More herself was the merriest one, 


8 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


She frolicked and danced with the smallest folks, 
She guessed the riddles and laughed at the jokes; 
Now here, now there, 

Now everywhere 

Her pretty pink cap-strings flew in the air; 

And the children whispered; — “Oh! isn’t she siceet , 
Do you think it’s time for something to eat ?” 


XII. 

“TEN!” — said the clock behind the door, 

“ It’s late, my dears,” said little Miss More; 

“And you must be hungry, come in to tea, 

The table is spread in the kitchen you see, 

But you’ve all been so kind 
I know you won’t mind — ” 

“Oh, no ma’am!” they shouted, in tones full of glee. 


xm. 

So into the kitchen the children ran, 

But oh ! when they saw 

The supper Miss More 

Had provided, a terrible scene began ! 

They turned away from the slices of bread, 

Although with butter and jam they were spread, 

The milk and water they wouldn’t taste — 

“Dear, dear!” said Miss Nancy, “the supper’s a waste.” 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 




I’m ashamed to tell you how they pouted, 
How they frowned, and how they flouted, 
How they whispered: — “ I think Miss More 
Is the stingiest woman I ever saw !’ 

XIY. 

Poor Miss Nancy ! with eyes full of tears, 

She sobbed : — “You — oo — ungrateful dears, 

I tried — oo — oo — oo — 

My doo — oo — ty to do — oo, 

And this is — oo what I get, it appears ! 

Oo — oo — oo — oo. I never saw 

Such hateful children!” said little Miss More. 



XY. 

But while she was sobbing and wiping her eyes 
One of the boys had found a prize ! 

He had whittled a corner from olf the door, 

He had scraped up a bit of the chocolate floor, 
And he shouted:— “A treat! 

Here's something to eat, 

Something that’s nice and sticky and sweet.” 


XVI. 

And with that, these naughty children began 
To eat up the house ! to and fro they ran. 


10 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


Trying and tasting everywhere, 

Now at the back of a rocking chair, 

Now carving a slice from the parlor wall — 

Or chipping a window — while some would call : — 
“Just taste this front door!” 

And some : — “Try the floor!” 

And others: — “There’s chbcolate cream in the hall !” 


XVII. 

As for Miss Nancy Mehitable More 

She scolded and begged till her throat was sore, 

She fell on her knees 

And sobbed: — “If you — oo please, 

You oo — oo — oo mustn’t eat any more — 

You boo — hoo — hoo — 

Little wretches you — 

You’ll all be sick, as I said before!” 


XVIII. 

But alas ! her words were all in vain — 

They gobbled the very last window-pane, 

The cream candy door, 

The chocolate floor, 

And the cocoa-nut roof, had gone before — 

And now they stood sucking their fingers clean 
For there wasn’t a bit of the house to be seen ! 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 


11 


XIX. 

Ashamed and silent they stole away, 

For of course they hadn’t a word to say, 

Softly the little gate they passed 
Then ran toward their homes as fast 
As their legs could carry them — poor Miss More 
Sat on the ground, and her cap-strings tore, 
And sobbed till her sobs grew into a roar : — 

“ Boo — hoo — hoo — hoo — 

Now what shall I do? 

They’ve eaten bay house from roof to floor ! 


xx. 


11 Boo — hoo — hoo — hoo ! 

If I only knew 

Where to go, or to who — ” 

And an owl in the tree-top answered: “ To-iohoo /” 

‘ ‘ Boo — oo — oo—oo. ” 

“ To-wJwo — to-whoo .” 

And their voices blended the long night through — 
Miss More on the ground, and the owl in the tree, 
Both as doleful as doleful could be ; 

With the light of day 
The owl flew away, 

And poor Miss Nancy sailed over the sea ! 


12 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOOHBEAM; 


“ What a nice story !” said Karl, as he finished reading. 
“Can’t you shake up another book now? Try my his- 
tory, please.” 

The little old woman accordingly took up the volume 
of Ancient History and shook that just as hard as the 
spelling-book. 

When she opened it, there was a story, sure enough, 
and plenty of pictures too ! 

“ Oh, quick ! give it to me,” begged Karl ? and he 
immediately began to read the story of 

FIZZ AND FREEZE. 

Once upon a time a great king lived at the North 
Pole — up there among the ice and snow, just where no 
one ventures to go nowadays, not even the ships — and 
this king’s name was Frigimand. 

What a cross, selfish, hateful old fellow he was ! and 
how he abused his people ! What he liked best was 
eating , and he was always thinking of his dinner or his 
•supper, or scolding his poor cook because he couldn’t 
think of something new to put on his table. 

This cook had a hard time, I can tell you. He was a 
queer looking dwarf, and he had six sons, all dwarfs like 
himself, who had nothing to do but assist their father. 


the king’s kitchen.— Page 13. 








OR, karl’s queer stories. 


13 


So one made the pies, and another made the cake, and 
still another pared the potatoes and turnips, while some 
kept the fire going and washed the dishes, and all were 
busy as bees. Their father, poor old Skimantaste, was 
terribly afraid of the king, because, whenever his food 
didn’t suit him, he always threatened to have the old 
man burned alive, and the cook knew well that his royal 
majesty would think nothing of carrying his threats into 
execution. 

At last, one day when Frigimand had been in a 
worse humor than usual, and had grumbled and fretted 
till every one about the court had wished themselves 
away, he suddenly concluded to travel. Not that he 
wanted to learn anything, or expected to come back any 
wiser or better than when he went, but merely because 
his time hung heavily on his hands, and he knew not 
how to employ it at home. So he made his preparations, 
gave a parting scolding to Skimantaste, and set off, 
taking no one with him, not even a newspaper reporter. 

After a long and tedious journey, he arrived in the 
city of New York one morning in July, and a very 
hot unpleasant morning it was. Frigimand was almost 
melted. He had never known what warm weather 
meant before, and he was almost afraid to go about the 
city at all. 


14 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


The third day after his arrival he ventured out to take 
a walk, and, going along Broadway, he stopped to look 
in at all the shops where he saw anything to eat or drink. 

The first place at which he stopped was a large drug 
store, where a number of people w r ere drinking soda- 
water. Seeing how it foamed and sparkled, Frigimand 
stepped up to the counter and asked for a glass. That 
was so cool and refreshing that he took another, and 
another, until he had drunk six glasses of soda-water, and 
had tried as many kincL of syrup. Then, having paid 
for this delicious new drink, he took out his note-book 
and wrote “ Fizz,” which he thought would best de- 
scribe it. 

Going a little further, he came to a large ice-cream 
saloon, and here again he stopped to look. He "saw 
groups of people sitting at little tables, eating something 
which looked very nice, so he went in and took a seat. 
A colored waiter rushed up to him with a thin book, 
which he put down on the table before him, and then 
stood waiting to receive his order. How Frigimand 
hated books. The very sight of one made him think of 
his school-days and his unlearned lessons. So he pushed 
this one away in a fright, and said, “Ho, no; I want 
some of that !” pointing to a plate of ice-cream which 
had just been placed before a lady near by. 




I 



























































































, 






























OR, KARL ? S QUEER STORIES. 


15 


Tliis ice-cream looked so white, like the snow in his 
home, with a little pink tinge on the top, that he was 
quite inclined to get up and snatch the plate, like a 
greedy tyrant as he was. 

The waiter nodded, and presently he brought him 
some ice-cream, which Frigimand ate just as quickly as 
he could swallow, and then called for some more. He 
went on, taking one plateful after another, until he had 
eaten twelve. Then he took out his note-hook again and 
wrote “ Freeze” on the next page, because it was so very 
cold. 

Well, King Frigimand staid one month in Hew York, 
and he spent nearly the whole of the time in consuming 
large quantities of Fizz and Freeze , until at last he made 
himself sick, and so was forced to set sail for his home. 

On the voyage he could talk of nothing else but Fizz 
and Freeze, and no sooner had he landed than he sent 
into the kitchen for old Skimantaste, and informed him 
that he must have these new dainties every day. 

“ But I don’t know how to make them, your Majesty,” 
said the trembling cook. 

“ Then find out!” roared Frigimand, in a passion. 
“ And remember this— if you don’t give them to me to- 
morrow, you will surely be roasted alive !” 

Back into his kitchen ran the poor old fellow, crying 


¥ -*> 


16 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


and bemoaning bis bard fate ; in from tbe garden, where 
they were gathering vegetables for dinner, ran tbe six 
sons, eager to know what trouble had befallen their 
father. The story was soon told, and after consulting 
together the six sons went to look for the king, and beg 
for their father’s life. 

They found that unreasonable monarch in a very bad 
humor. And first he would not listen to anything they 
said, but at last the oldest and wisest of the sons spoke 
thus : 

“ Your most gracious Majesty, I have a plan to pro- 
pose. If you will send our father to visit this wonder- 
ful city of which you speak, that he may learn there 
how to prepare these delicacies for your pleasure, will it 
not be a better way of procuring them than merely to 
burn him? For if your Majesty will condescend to 
think, your Majesty will see that a live coo*k is more use- 
ful than a dead one, even if he be roasted.” 

This argument convinced Frigimand. He graciously 
consented that old Skimantaste should .go on a voyage of 
discovery. So the old man set out as soon as he could 
get ready, and after a tedious voyage he too reached the 
city of New York, but quite late in the fall. 

He soon found the shops where the ice-cream and soda- 
water were sold, and at once he began to ask for recipes. 



THKY BEG FOB THEIR FATHER’S LIFE. 



% 




OR. KARL'S QUEER STORIES. 


17 


and to find out how they were to be put together to 
make the Fizz and Freeze. 

Soon he bought all the necessary materials and loaded 
his ship with them— barrels of sugar, baskets of eggs, 
bags of salt, essences for flavoring, cans of condensed 
milk, and a monstrous ice-cream freezer, the very largest 
he could rind. 

Also he bought a soda-water fountain, and all the things 
necessary for making soda-water, such as gallons of sarsa- 
parilla and lemon syrup, great hogsheads of carbonic acid 
gas, and so on, until the vessel was packed quite full. 

Then he sailed away home again, and arrived there 
safely one fine morning, and the joyful news of his re- 
turn was at once carried to King Frigimand. 

Frigitnand was really delighted. He went to see the 
vessel unloaded, and the barrels and boxes carried up to 
the royal kitchen ; and he was as impatient as a child 
until everything was unpacked and Skimantaste was 
fairly at work. 

The soda-water fountain was carried into the king’s 
library and all the books were tumbled out to make room 
for it. The ice-cream freezer was set up in the court- 
yard of the king’s palace, the cream was made ready, and 
the six sons were kept at work, turning it in the tub 
until Skimantaste said it was frozen enough. 


18 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


So for a while all went on well. The busy Skiman- 
taste ran back and forth, first to inspect the soda-water, 
then to look at the cream, and Frigimand walked up 
and down, almost smiling and wonderfully patient. 

By and by the old cook opened the freezer to taste the 
cream, and he handed the spoon to one of his sons after- 
ward, which proved to be a very unlucky thing. The 
naughty little fellow licked the spoon and was charmed. 
He whispered to his brothers and set them all wishing 
for a taste. 

Presently one, more daring than the rest, opened the 
freezer and took out some on his finger. Immediately 
all the others thrust their fingers in, and began to dance 
about, delighted with the flavor. 

So they went on, taking larger mouthfuls, and getting 
deeper into the ice-cream, until they heard their father’s 
steps ; then they all worked very busily ; but no sooner 
were they alone again than they began tasting more 
boldly than ever, until they had entirely emptied the 
freezer. 

At this moment the great bell of the palace rang to 
announce that the king’s dinner was served, and Frigi- 
mand rushed to the dining-room at its very first stroke. 
He ate so fast and so much that in a very short time he 
had cleared all the dishes that were placed before him. 




^ utWiM 

HE ATE SO EAST AND SO MUCH. — Page 18. 





























































































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' 
























































































ROYAL VENGEANCE. 


ORIGIN OF ICEBERGS. 



OR, karl’s queer stories. 


19 


Then he called out to Skimantaste to bring some of the 
long-wished-for Freeze. 

The triumphant cook ran out to the court-yard, and, 
lifting the lid of the freezer found it entirely empty ! 
Fie was so frightened that he just stood staring, never 
speaking a word, until Frigimand, out of patience at his 
delay, came running after to see if anything was wrong. 

When he stood by his terrified cook and looked into 
the empty freezer his rage was quite frightful. lie 
snatched the large china dish from Skimantaste’s trem- 
bling hand and broke it over his head, then lie kicked the 
freezer and the tub in which it stood, and upsetting them 
both, scattered the great lumps of ice all over his king- 
dom, and many of them descended into the northern sea. 

Every one ran out of his way when they saw how furi- 
ous he was — courtiers, servants, cook and all — while the 
king rushed into his library declaring that though he 
had been so cruelly cheated of the Freeze, he would at 
any rate have some Fizz. (As for the six little dwarfs, 
they had hidden themselves under the cabbages in the 
vegetable gaiden, where they sat shaking with fear of 
their punishment, which they knew would be sure to 
come). 

But again the unhappy king was doomed to sutler dis- 
appointment. For the machinery did not work very 


20 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


well, unluckily, and when he tried to draw the soaa- 
water from the bright silver tubes, as he had seen the 
men doing in the drug store, it would not come. 

This was too much for Frigimand’s temper. ITe in- 
stantly caught up a hammer, and began to hatter the 
whole thing in a new fit of rage. Then, in a single mo- 
ment, before any one knew what was coming, the whole 
of the apparatus blew up. 

The gas exploded with a fearful crash, destroying tlio 
palace, the people, and the king, scattering the fragments 
far and wide. 

Nothing was ever afterwards seen or heard of Frigi- 
mand and his kingdom. But to this day all that part of 
the world is full of great blocks of ice, which we call 
icebergs, lying around just as the king distributed them 
in liis fury, and making it too difficult and dangerous for 
people to travel in that neighborhood. 

And sometimes the whole sky is full of strange lights 
and colors that flash and sparkle so brilliantly we can see 
them away off here, although we are so many miles dis- 
tant, and learned men call these flashes the “ Aurora 
Borealis” or “Northern Lights,” but I know better. 

I know they come out of the cross old King Frigi- 
mand’s soda fountain, and that they are only the Fizz 
broken loose. 



tub attroka borealis. — P ao-e 


20 . 











OR, karl’s queer stories. 


21 


“What do you think of that for a bit of history?” 
asked the old woman, who was looking over his shoulder 
as he read the last w T ords. 

“I think it is very interesting, of course, and I 
wouldn’t mind having to learn the story of Frigimand 
by heart,” replied Karl laughing, “ I wish I had more 
history lessons now.” 

“ Oh, your other lessons are just as interesting and 
amusing as your history when I take the books up,” said 
the old woman. 

“Why, then they will get better and better!” said 
Karl. “ Thank you so much for these stories ! I won 
der why the teachers don’t try this way of making our 
school books interesting.” 

The little old woman looked very wise at this. “ Do 
you suppose that every one know T s my secret ?” she asked. 

“No, of course not,” answered Karl, “but I wish you 

would teach it to me , Mrs. I don’t know your 

name yet, ma’am, so I don’t know what to call you.” 

“ My name,” said the little old woman, “ My name is 
too long for you to remember, but I am the Queen of 
Queerland, and you can address me as Your Majesty.” 

“Well then, Your Majesty,” began Karl at once, 
“Would you think it too much trouble to shake up an- 
other book for me ?” 


22 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


“ Let us try what your Natural History will tell us,” 
said the queen, taking it up. After a good shaking Karl 
opened it at the first page and began, without losing a 
moment; to read the affecting history of 


THE LOVE OF MR. BATTYBOO FOR MISS KATTYKIN. 

He was a slim and pensive bat, 

She was a kitten gray, 

He saw her first with mother cat 
Go walking one fine day. 


He gazed upon her soft gray fur, 
The color of a dove, 

But when he heard her sweetly purr 
At once he fell in love. 


That very night his wings he brushed, 
He trimmed his pretty claws, 

And went when all around was hushed, 
To kneel at Pussy’s paws. 


“ Miss Kattykin,” he softly sighed, 
And dropped a pearly tear, 

“ I’d like to win you for my bride, 
Say ‘ yes ’ my dearest dear !” 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 


‘ I thank you, Mr. Battyboo, 

Your words are very sweet, 

But yet I cannot marry you 
Because — you’re good to eat !” 

And then the cruel Kattykin 
She oped her mouth so wide, 

That Battyboo, just gazing in, 

With terror nearly died. 

He spread his wings — away he flew 
To seek some shelter near — 

Hid in a tree, poor Battyboo 
Quaked all night long in fear. 

And ever since when bats should sleep, 
When days are bright and clear, 

Sad Battyboo will wake and weep ; — 
“Oh! Kattykin, my dear!” 

‘ My only love ! I could be true 
And tender, as you’d see, 

‘ I know that I’d agree with you 
Can’t you agree with me ?” 

But Kattykin just licks her jaws, 

Half shuts her soft green eyes, 

And murmurs: “Bats are good, because 
I’ve eaten them in pies. 


24 


THE FAIRY OF TIIE MOONBEAM; 


“ Dear Battyboo! I know he’s sweet, 

If he should come to-night 
Mamma and I would have a treat — 

I’ve such an appetite !” 

“ Dear me ! what a horrid cat !” exclaimed Karl. “ But 
what a short story that was ! I’m afraid you didn’t 
shake the book hard enough.” 

“ The fact is, I’m in something of a hurry,” said the 
queen. “ Perhaps I haven’t told you yet that I want to 
take you back to my kingdom, the Country of the Bug- 
a-boos, for a short visit, and we must start as soon as you 
get through with these lessons.” 

“ That will be splendid !” cried Karl, who was always 
ready for a journey. “ And how far is it, Your Majesty, 
to your kingdom, and when shall I get back?” 

“ Don’t ask too many questions,” said the queen, 
frowning a little. “ Don’t you know that it isn’t polite ?” 

“I beg your pardon ma’am — I mean Your Majesty” — 
said Karl, feeling much mortified at this rebuke. “I 
thought perhaps I ought to get some of my clothes 
packed, if I was going to travel.” 

The old woman smiled. “ I will attend to all your 
wants,” she said, “ but now you shall have another story 
about natural history, as the last one was so short.” 

So Karl went on with the new story. 


OR, KARL'S QUEER STORIES. 


2£ 


A LUNCH PARTY. 

i. 

The bear went out to take lunch one day 
With a beautiful Maltese cat, 

He carried a fan and a large bouquet, 

And wore a gold band on his hat. 

The lunch was ready at two o’clock, 

But they didn’t begin till one, 

And the bear was so hungry he couldn’t wait 
So she fed him with currant bun ; 

And sweetly she said: “ If you stand on your head 
I think it will add to the fun!’’ 

II. 

The cat was dressed in her very best — 

A blue-pink sewing silk gown, 

And she smiled on the bear with her friendliest air, 
But the cherries were baked too brown — 

The cook had forgot that pepper was hot. 

The clams weren't sugared at all— 

The beef was left out of the blackberry pie 
And the gravy was spilt in the hall. 

So the bear said at last, “ I think I will fast !” 
Though the next course was stewed rubber ball. 

hi. 

They talked of many and curious things 
As they sat at lunch together; 

Of fish with whiskers and cats with wings, 

Of signs of war in the weather — 


2 G THE FAIKY OF THE MOONBEAM; 

He told her a tale of a cat that would sail 
In an egg-shell instead of a boat — 

She told him another, about a bear’s brother 
Who rode every day on a goat. 

Then he bade her good-bye with a tear in his eye, 
As he put on his big ulster coat. 


He said he would take the rest of the cake, 

And he took it to eat on the way; 

“I’ve had a nice time”— he whispered in rhyme, 

“ I wish I could come every day.” 

But the cat said: — “ Oh no ! it’s time you should go, 
You’ve made such a very long stay.” 

So he left her alone, and she cried with a groan : 

“ What’s left for my breakfast, I say? 

There’s naught in the house but a cold pickled mouse, 
And I don’t care for that, I must say. 

Well, well — I declare, I won't ask a bear 
To come and take lunch every day !” 

“Thank you, ma’am — Your Majesty, I mean — for 
such a funny story,” said Karl. “ What is my next les- 
son, if you please ?” 

“ Geography comes next,” answered the cpieen, as she 
took up the Atlas, and tossed it about. 

“ Here is a very interesting account of a journey to 
foreign lands, called : 



OR, KARL’S QUEER STORIES. 


A VISIT TO JAMBOREE. 


Once on a time I sailed away, 

Down the river, and over the sen, 

I sailed till I came one beautiful day, 

To a wonderful country called Jamboree. 
The strangest things in that land I spied — 
Instead of people like you and me, 

There were cats — just cats — on every side 
In that wonderful country called Jamboree. 


it. 

Cats were everywhere walking the street-— 
Cats made visits, their friends to see — 

Cats in the shops sold milk and meat — 

Hats and overcoats, sugar and tea. 

There were cats with money and cats without, 
Cats with lofty and low degree, 

Cats thin and cross, cats merry and stout, 

In this curious country of Jamboree 1 

in. 

Of course, there wasn’t a rat or a mouse, 

For the cats had frightened them all away, 
But dozens of kittens in every house 

Played with their tails in the funniest way. 


28 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


And when they quarelled, as children will, 
The wise cat-motliers*came out to see, 
And washed their faces to keep them still, 
For that is the rule in Jamboree. 


IT. 

But in one cat’s house I saw a boy — 

Where he came from nobody knew, 

The naughty kittens were wild with joy; 

“ Let’s have some fun !” I heard them mew. 

So they pulled his ears, and made him cry, 

They spit and made faces, to frighten him more, 
One of the* biggest kits, wicked and sly, 

Scratched his face with her treacherous paw. 


Y. 

When they were tired of their cruel play 
They tied an old tin pail to his feet, 

And chased the poor little boy away, 

While they spit and snarled at him, down the street. 
I said to myself, as I watched them run : 

“ Such wicked kittens I never did see, 

Such cruel things could never be done 
In any country but Jamboree !” 


IIE7 TIED AN OLD TfN PAIL TO HIS FEET. — Page 28 












or, karl’s queer stories. 


29 


VI. 

I tried to rescue the frightened boy 

But the kittens tossed him into a pond, 

They dauced on the bank and mewed for joy, 

And the poor little child at Iasi was drowned ! 

The very next day I sailed away 

Home again, home again, over the sea, 

Right glad was I to say good-bye 

To those naughty kittens in Jamboree — 

Right glad to go where no one could know 

The wicked customs of Jamboree ! . 

“Is Jamboree on my map of the world?” asked Karl. 
But the old woman did not answer him. She was 
turning over the leaves of the Atlas, as if she w T as look- 
ing for something. Presently she turned to Karl and 
said crossly : — 

“You are a very careless boy. You’ve torn out two 
leaves at the end. Why did you do that ?” 

“ I — I don’t know, Your Majesty — I’m sorry,” said 
Karl, blushing and hanging down his head. 

“Very well, then,” replied the queen severely; “you 
have lost one of the best stories in the book.” 

“ Oh, please forgive me, just forgive me this once, and 
I’ll never, never t$ar my books again !” exclaimed Karl, 
looking almost ready to cry. 


30 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 

“ Well, we’ll say no more about it if you are really 
sorry,” said tlie queen. “ But you can’t have the story 
you know.” 

“Isn’t there another one I could have?” begged Karl 
He looked so sorry that, after thinking a little while, th; 
queen gave him the Atlas with the story of : 

HOW THE LAMBKINS WENT SOUTH. 


i. 

Mr. and Mrs. Lambkin, 

And the six little Lambkins too, 
Awoke one cold March morning 
All saying : ‘ ‘ Kat-choo ! hat-clioo /” 

“ The fire is out in the furnace, 

The day is cold and bleak, 

Suppose — ’’said Mrs. Lambkin, 

“ We shut up the house for a week.” 


“Then could we take a journey ? 

Go South?” in tones quite hoarse, 
Cried all the Lambkin children ; 

“ Go South, and get warm, of course!” 
“I like the plan extremely!” 

Said Father Lambkin then, 

“I’ll go, dears, and buy a canal-boat, 

And you will be ready — when?” 


OK, karl’s queer stories. 

HI. 

“To-morrow! why not to-morrow ?” 

Asked wife and children too — - 
“Thursday, the first of April, 

And we haven’t much to do — 

Well, then, we’ll start to-morrow,” 

Mr. Lambkin smilingly said ; 

“Come, wife, and we’ll buy our provisions, 
For a family needs to be fed.” 

IV. 

Mrs. Lambkin put on her bonnet 
And arm-in-arm they went 
To the grocer’s and then to the baker’s, 
Till all their money was spent. 

Nuts and apples and raisins — 

Molasses and pickles and cheese — 
“I’m trying,” said Mrs. Lambkin; 

“The children’s tastes to please.” 


Thursday, the first of April, 
Was a cloudy, chilly day; 
“Courage!” said Father Lambkin, 
“We’ll soon be miles away — 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


We’re going straight to the tropics 
Where the very dust is gold, 

Where the trees with fig-paste blossom. 
And you dig up ripe dates, I’m told.” 

VI 

So they loaded their canal-boat, 

With their nuts and apples and cheese, 

Molasses, pickles and raisins — 

And then sat down at their ease; 

‘‘Let’s get to the warmer countries,” 

Said the youngest, with a wheeze, 

“We must wait awhile,” said the father, 
“Wait till we catch a breeze ." 1 

Vii. 

And so the Lambkins waited 

While the morning hours went by — 

‘ It’s very strange !” said the mother, 

“ That not a breeze comes nigh ! 

Why should w r e wait any longer?” 

And Mr. Lambkin replied ; 

“If the breeze don’t come quite soon, dears, 
W'e’ll have to wait for the tide!” 

VIII. 

And so the Lambkins waited 
And the afternoon slipped on — 














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but — we haven’t any mast ! ” — Page 33, 


or, karl’s queer stories. 


33 


Soon the apples and the raisins, 

The pickles and cheese, were gone ! 
Only the nuts and molasses 
Kemained of all their store : 

“I think,” said Mrs. Lambkin, 

“ ’Twould be wiser to go ashore.” 


IX. 


“No, no!” cried the little Lambkins, 
“The world we want to see, 
You’ve promised us all a journey, 
And a journey it ought to be — ” 
“My dear!” said Mrs. Lambkin, 

“I see the trouble at last, 

We ought to spread our canvas, 
But — we haven’t any mast 1” 


x. 

“True ! true !” said Father Lambkin, 
“But we can manage it all; 

I’ll hoist my big umbrella, 

You raise your parasol — • 

Give the smallest children a towel, 
And the largest ones a sheet — 

If you’ll follow my directions 
Our rig will be complete.” 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM 


XI. 

So, armed with sheets and towels, 
Umbrella and parasol, 

The patient Lambkins waited 
Till night began to fall ; 

Nuts and molasses for supper — 

“Oh! father! dont stay here,” 

Said two or three of the children : 

“ We feel so very queer!” 

XII. 

Well, well,” said Mrs. Lambkin, 

“ Some folks like to roam, 

But for my part, I’m persuaded 
There’s no place like one’s home!” 
Home! home!” cried all the children: 

“Yes, take us home to-night.” 
There, wife!” said Mr. Lambkin, 
“You see that I was right.” 


XIII. 

Then home went all the Lambkins 
With aching hearts and heads, 
All tired and cold and hungry 
They crept into their beds — 


OR, KARl/S QUEER STORIES. 


35 


But all that night was moaning, 

And groaning sad and sore; 

“Alas!” said each poor Lambkin, 

“ We will not travel more!” 

XIV. 

• So from that day the Lambkins 

Have staid at home content; 

“We think,” say all the children; 

“That money’s badly spent 
In fitting up canal-boats 
On foreign shores to roam, 

So now we sing together — 

There’s no place like our home !” 

“Why, liow absurd!” began Karl, as he laid down the 
Geography. “ W^io ever heard of going to sea on a 
canal-boat ?” 

“ That depends on what you want to see, you know,” 
said the queen. “ Everybody don’t go to see the same 
things.” 

“Oh, I meant s, e, a, sea” Karl explained, “not 
s, e, e, see /” 

The queen frowned. “ Don’t teach me to spell !” she 
said crossly. “ I think I know more about spelling than 
you do.” 

“ I beg your pardon, ma’am — Your Majesty, I mean — ” 


36 THE FAIRY OF THE MOOKBEAM; 

said Karl, thinking, “ if I make her angry she won’t shake 
up any more of my lessons and then I shall lose the 
stories.” 

The queen made no answer for a few moments, but at 
last she said, — “ Well, if you are sorry for your rudeness, 
I suppose I must forgive you this time, but be careful !” 

“Yes, indeed, I promise !” exclaimed Karl, “I prom- 
ise not to say one word you don’t like, if you will only go 
on with your stories. Here is my Arithmetic now, what 
can you make out of that ?” 

The old woman took a watch out of her pocket and 
held it up. “ I wish I knew the time now,” she re- 
marked. “ I set this watch when I left home, and of 
course it wants setting again, for that was hours ago.” 

Karl looked at the watch more closely. “Why it 
doesn’t go ! perhaps you have forgotten to wind it up,” 
he said quickly. 

“ Don’t go ?” asked the queen. “ What nonsense you 
talk ! it goes wherever I go, and isn’t that enough ?’ 

“ But my father’s watch goes all the time, whether it is 
in his pocket or out of it,” replied Karl. 

“Well, where does it go then?” demanded the queen 
sharply. “ Does he go after it ?” 

“Oh, no,” said Karl, laughing. “Why it don’t go 
anywhere, it is always in the same place.” 


OR, KARL’S QUEER STORIES. 


37 


“ Then it is not a bit better than my watch after all,” 
answered the queen triumphantly. 

Poor Karl was afraid to argue with the old woman 
fearing she might be offended, so he only said civilly : — 
“ Please, Your Majesty, may I try to shake my Arith- 
metic ? I want to see what I can make it say.” 

“ Certainly, you may try as much as you like,” said the 
queen, so Karl began to turn the book over and over, 
and shake it from side to side, just as the old woman had 
done with the others. Presently he opened it, but he 
looked terribly disappointed. “ This don’t appear to be 
a nice story at all,” said Karl, hesitating. 

“Never mind, read it,” was the queen’s order, so he 
read the 

SONG OF THE NUMBERS. 

i. 

Said two to one ; 

“ It’s precious fun 

To see you growing double l” 

Said one to two ; 

“You ninny, you! 

I’ll halve you without trouble.” 


Said three to four ; 

“You want some more 
Then take them if you can, sir.” 


38 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOOHBEAM* 


Said four to three : 

“ ’Tis plain to me 

That you don’t know your answer.” 
in. 

Said six to five : j 

‘ ‘ As I’m alive 

We cannot make a dozen!” 

Said five to six : 

“You’re in a fix, 

And I can’t help you, cousin.” 

IV. 

Said seven to eight ; 

“It must be late, 

’Twere well to join the others.” 

Said eight to seven : 

“There goes eleven! 

A-walking with your brothers.” 

v. 

Said number nine : 

“Why this is fine ! 

Suppose we take a ramble?” 

Said nought alone: — 

“I might have known 
They’d lose me in the scramble.” 

“Well, liow do you like it?” asked the queen. “Not 
half as much as your stories,” answered Karl. The little 
old woman laughed merrily as she said : — 


OR, KARI/S QUEER STORIES. 


39 


* Give ms tlie Aritbmetip, and we will try it again.” 
So she took it from Karl’s hand, and in a moment she 
laid it down before him on the table without a word. 


Karl found on the open page 



v THE WONDERFUL STORY OF GIANT BOOTER-BRO. 


i. 


A wonderful giant was Booter-bro, 

As nice a giant as you could know ; 

Always pleasant and smiling and gay, 
Always ready for fun and play — 

Besides, he loved all the children so 
They couldn’t help loving good Booter-bro. 


ii. 


He lived in a castle, large and high, 

On a mountain that nearly touched the sky, 

But down this mountain he ran every day 
Just to help the children play. 

And how he could help ! If the kites wouldn’t go 
He’d open his monstrous mouth and blow — 

Blow till the wind was fierce and strong, 

And swiftly the kites went sailing along ! 

He mended a jack-knife as good as new, 

He took the girls where the wild-flowers grew — 

Over the fences and up the trees 

He helped the youngest to climb with ease — 


40 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


If they grew tired, as children will, 

Up on his shoulders he carried them still, 

Or safe in his hat-crown stowed them away 
For a quiet nap while the rest were at play. 


hi. 

“Children are always hungry I know,” 

Said kind, good-natured Booter-bro, 

Then out of his great, deep pockets he’d take 
Nuts and oranges, apples and cake, 

Candy — such lovely candy too — 

With: “Help yourselves, dears, take plenty, do .” 
And when his pockets were emptied quite 
The giant would chuckle with real delight, 

Of course they loved him — their friend so good — 
\nd when on his castle steps he stood 
You’d hear them shouting near and far; 

“ Booter-bro’s coming! hurrah! hurrah!” 


IY. 

But at last there dawned one sorrowful day 
When Booter-bro didn’t come out to play. 

The children watched and waited and cried — 
To climb up the mountain they even tried ; 
But the way was long, the road was steep, 
And down they sat once more to weep, 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 


41 


“ No cakes to-day !” said the smallest one. 

“ No candy !” 

“ No apples!” 

“ No nuts!” 

“No fun!” 

Then one of the girls began : ‘ 1 Oh ! oh ! 

Who cares for candies when Booter-bro 
May be sick and dying for aught we know ! 

My plan is this — let four of us go — 

We’ll scale the mountain, we’ll find the way — 

Who offers? I’m one of the four, I say!” 

Then Ned, and Charley, and Daisy too, 

Stood up and answered: “ We’re ready, Sue.” 

“ Come on, then, w T e’ll find the upward track, 

The rest will wait here till we get back.” 

v. 

They climbed and climbed — their clothes were torn, 
And their faces scratched, with brier and thorn : 

But they reached the castle gate at last, 

And gladly up the steps they passed. 

Just then they heard a terrible roar — 

A sound that never was heard before ! 

It shook the castle from ceiling to floor: 

“ What’s that?” “ What’s that ?” cried all the four. 
“ I know,” said Ned ; “that’s surely a bear ! 

He’s eating poor Booter-bro. Come, if you dare !” 

So into the castle and up the stair 

They flew, exclaiming: “There’s no time to spare.” 


42 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


But what, O! what do you think they saw? 
The giant was rolling over the floor, 
Clutching his beard, and tearing his hair 
As if he was wild, but no signs of a bear ! 


YI. 

The frightened children whispered low, 

“ What is the matter, dear Booter-bro? 

Why do you twist and tumble so ? 

Are you sick ?” 

Then the giant raised his head: 

“ Alas! with the toothache I’m nearly dead — 
Ugh !” and he clapped both hands on his jaw, 
While he uttered another frightened roar! 
Backward and forward the children ran, 

Each with a remedy, each with a plan— 

“ Cotton and camphor,” said Ned, “will do.” 
“ Salt and alum is better,” cried Sue. 

“ A ginger poultice I’d like to make,” 

Said little Daisy — “ That cures the ache.” 
Cried Charley: “ What’s all this fuss about ? 
To cure a toothache the tooth must come out /" 

VII. 

Well, at last they coaxed poor Booter-bro 
To open his mouth a yard or go, 

Then round the aching tooth they threw 
The clothes-line, and tied it tightly too. 





• I 



SO DOWN THE MOUNTAIN THEY KAN. — Page 43 




OR, KARL’S QUEER STORIES. 


43 


“ Now run, girls, run!” cried Charley and Ned, 
“ We’ll carry the rope — skip on ahead!” 

So down the mountain they ran and raced, 
Never paused to take breath in their haste 
Until they found at the foot of the hill 
The rest of the children waiting still. 

yiii. 

“ Take hold of the rope!” then Charley cried: 
“Pull quick! pull strong! pull steady, beside! 
Now one good pull all together ! — so — * * 51 

It’s out! we’ve cured him! poor Booter-bro!” 
And the rope grew slack, and the children fell, 
Tumbling into a heap, pell-mell. 


IX. 

But up they scrambled with shout and cheer, 
For they saw the giant drawing near — 

Poor Booter-bro ! his eyes were red 
And swollen, as if with the tears he’d shed; 
He held his handkerchief up to his face 
And walked with a very unsteady pace; 

But he tried to smile as he said : “ Hooray! 
Let’s make this a regular holiday ! 

Let’s run and tumble, and shout and call — 
Play ‘tag’ and ‘Dixie,’ croquet and ball — 
Here,” showing his pockets one by one, 

“ Are plenty of good things to help the fun, 


44 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


Take what you like, dears, they’re all for you, 
I’d give you my head if you wanted it too : 

My heart is yours already, you know, 

Then come and be glad with your Booter-bro ! 
For when he is cured of his toothache, I say 
A giant is bound to skip and play.” 


Then Booter-bro danced and skipped about, 

Chasing the children with many a shout — 

“I’m happy! I’m happy! my tooth is out!” 

While Ned and Charlie came marching slow, 

Bringing his tooth to Booter-bro — 

A load to carry, as you might know. 

But the children buried it deep in the ground, 

And hand-in-hand went dancing round, 

Singing gaily: — “ We've buried the foe 
That threatened the peace of Booter-bro !” 

“Well, well! that was the nicest giant I ever read 
about,” said Karl. “ IIow I wish I could have been 
there, and helped pull his tooth ! But what comes next, 
please ?” 

“A lesson in fractions, out of this same book,” an- 
swered the queen. “ You know what a fraction is, I 
hope ?” 

“ Oh, yes, ma’am, of course I do. A fraction is part 


OR, KARl/s QUEER STORIES. 


45 


of a whole number — isn’t that what you mean?” an- 
swered Karl. 

“ Humph !” was all the queen said. “ I dare say you 
don’t know much about it, after all.” 

“But I can do nearly all the sums in my book, Your 
Majesty,” said Karl. “ Just give me one, and see.” 

“ Can you do sums that are not in the book ?” asked 
the queen. 

“ Why, yes — if they are not too hard,” answered Karl, 
after considering a little. 

“ Well then, here’s a sum for you,” said the old woman. 
“ Listen to it attentively, for I shall not repeat it : 

“ If twenty pears will weigh a pound, 

If twenty bushels are on the ground, 

If twenty boys are eating fast, 

How many days will a barrel last ?” 

“ Oh, dear !” cried Karl, after writing down all the 
twenties in a row — “ Nobody could do that sum ! Why, 
there is no answer, I’m sure. Twenty pears, and twenty 
barrels — no, twenty bushels — it’s just nonsense !” 

“ Nonsense, is it ?” asked the queen, sharply. “ That’s 
because you don’t know anything about arithmetic. But 
never mind, I haven’t time to teach you now, so we will 
go on to the story about fractions. Here it is.” 


46 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


So Karl laid down his pencil, and took up the hook to 
see 


WHAT THE OLD TURKEY WANTED. 


i. 

The turkey gobbler was strutting about, 
Now in and now out 

Of the barn, with a terrible racket and rout. 
He was cross that day — 

The baby turkey got out of his way, 

He even chased the children at play, 

Little Johnny and Ned, 

Till frightened they fled. 

Crying: “I wish the old turkey was dead!” 

* ii. 

I’ll tell you what made the old turkey pout, 
And worry and flout, 

And chase his wife and his children about; 
It was just because he wanted to set! 

But not a single egg could he get — 

Which put the old fellow into a pet, 

Made him fidget f.ud fret, 

Chase the children and chickens too, 

And behave as a turkey never should do. 

hi. 

But at last, as he crossly strutted around, 
Something he found, 

Half hid in the ground — 


on, karl’s queer stories. 


47 


Something smooth and shining and white, 

A charming sight ! 

Which filled the old gobbler’s heart with delight. 
“How lucky for me! 

An egg I see !” 

Said the turkey, crowing with all his might. 


He viewed it with pride 
On every side : 

“As fine an egg as ever I spied ! 

I’d have liked some more, 

Perhaps three or four, 

But I’ll make the best of what I can get,” 
Said this foolish turkey, beginning to set, 
And spreading his feathers over the ground 
To cover the beautiful egg he had found. 


v. 

But alas ! it wasn’t an egg at all, 

For some one had let a tea-cup fall, 

And thrown the useless pieces there — 

So the broken china, white, smooth, and fair 
Was the egg he saw, 

And nothing more, 

Which he couldn’t hatch with all his care! 


4'8 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 

VI. 

When a month and a day 
Had passed away 

The poor old turkey was filled with dismay: 

“ How tired I’m getting 
With so much setting ! 

And that egg not hatched. It’s bad, I say !” 

So he left his nest, 

But he never once guessed 

His mistake, and indeed he don’t know it to-day j 

“But I don’t see why you called that a story about 
fractions, Your Majesty,” observed Karl. “There were 
no fractions in it.” 

“Wasn’t the tea-cup broken?” inquired the Queen. 

“Why, yes,” said Karl. 

“ Then isn’t a piece of a tea-cup a fraction of one ?” 
asked the Queen in the most triumphant way. 

Karl didn’t know what to say to this, so he put his 
Latin grammar into the Queen’s hand, asking : 

“Won’t you please make something out of this, 
ma’am ? I’ve just begun to study it, and I find it awfully 
hard.” 

“ And you ought to find it very interesting,” said the 
Queen. “ I was very fond of Latin when I went to 
school.” 


OR, KARL’S QUEER STORIES. 


49 


“ And can you understand all those hard words, Your 
Majesty asked Karl eagerly. 

“Every one, you stupid boy, and I will read you this 
little poem at the end of the book,” returned the old 
woman, as she began 

THE LAND OF FIDDLE-MA-REE. 


Would you like, would you like, to go with me 
Away to the land of the Fiddle-ma-ree, 

Where sugar-plums grow on the cucumber tree, 
Where the fishes live on the mountain tops, 

And the sheep are fattened on mutton-chops, 
And just before bed-time the town clock stops ? 

Chorus. — Oh ! that’s the place for you and me ! 

The lovely land of Fiddle-ma-ree ! 


n. 

Would you like to sail in my wash-tub boat, 

(If we both fall out ’twill be sure to float,) 

And be wrapped in my patent fire-proof coat ? 

' I’ll feed you on codfish tender and green, 

And pickled apples, both fat and lean, 

And sugared herrings, the best you’ve seen. 

Chorus. — Oh! that’s the place for you and me, etc. 


50 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


III. 

Would you like to know what the fun will be 
When you get to the land of Fiddle-ma-ree? 

The wonderful Bum-bum-bum you’ll see — 

You shall pick from the bushes the hot apple tart — 
You shall dig for the succulent peppermint heart — 
Of the king’s own cake-box you shall have part. 

Chorus. — Oh! that’s the place for you and me, etc. 


IV. 

We’ll start the very first moonlit night, 

For this wash-tub boat isn’t w T ater-tight, 

But we can’t get lost if the moon is bright. 

Besides, some birds’-nests we’ll chance to sec, 

For the robins live in the depths of the sea 
In this wonderful country of Fiddle-ma-ree. 

Chorus.— Oh ! that’s the place for you and me, etc. 

Y. 

Then come, oh come, oh come with me 
To this lovely land of the Fiddle-ma-ree, 

Where the cats and dogs are as wise as we — 

Where the school-days never begin till next year — 
Where a cent buys more than a dollar would here — 
Where everything’s upside-down and queer! 

Chorus. Oh! that’s the place for you and me, 

The lovely land of Fiddle-ma-ree ! 


OR, KARL’S QUEER STORIES. 


51 


“Wouldn’t I like to go tliere!” Karl said, wlien she 
had finished reading. 

“I dare say,” remarked the Queen. “It is rather 
a nice place.” , 

“ Why, have you been there ?” asked Karl, eager to 
hear some more about this wonderful country of Fiddle- 
ma-ree. 

“ Often and often,” answered the old woman. “ It is 
very near Queerland.” 

“ Then, couldn’t we stop there when you take me to 
see your country ?” Karl began, but the Queen inter- 
rupted him. 

“ If we stop there you will never see my country, you 
know,” she said crossly. “ If you stop in a place you 
can’t go any farther, can you ? 

“ Oh, I didn’t mean to stop for good,” Karl explained. 

The Queen went on : 

“ Then did you mean to stop for bad?” 

“ Keally, Y our Majesty, I’m afraid you do not under- 
stand me,” said Karl, but this made things worse. The 
Queen demanded fiercely : 

“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t be rude any more? 
And here you are telling me I can’t understand you ! 
Do you call that polite ?” 

“ Oh dear, dear /” thought Karl, in despair. “ What 


52 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


a dreadful old woman this is ! But I must keep friends 
with her.” Then, speaking aloud : 

“lam so sorry, Your Majesty, that I have offended 
you again, but if you will forgive me once more I will 
try to be careful in future.” 

“ Very well, you can have one last chance,” replied 
the Queen, and then took up Karl’s grammar, though she 
looked quite sulky still. 

“ Thank you, oh thank you ! And can you get any- 
thing out of that dreadful , stupid, dry old grammar, 
your Majesty?” inquired Karl delightedly. 

“ Try it,” the Queen said, as she handed him the book. 

“ Why, dear me ! it begins just like a lesson,” ex- 
claimed Karl, after a moment. “ Couldn’t you please to 
shake it some more ?” 

“ Bead it,” was still all the old woman chose to say as 
she folded her arms and chuckled at Karl. 

Karl was somewhat provoked at this, but he thought 
jt wisest to say nothing, so he began to read : 

A GRAMMAR SONG. 

i. 

Nouns and Pronouns hurried in, 

Arm in arm, like brothers, 

Interjections, tall and thin, 

Pointed out the others. 


OR, earl’s queer stories. 


53 


Chorus . — You shall — you shan’t, 
You will — you won’t, 
You could — you can’t, 
You did — you don’t! 


All the Tenses came to dine, 
The Moods would stay to tea, 
The active Verbs got in a line, 
But Was said : ‘ ‘ Let me Be.” 

Chorus . — You shall, etc. 


hi. 

Then began a busy hum, 

The Verbs asked: “Oh, dear me! 
Why do not the Cases come? 

Then we should agree.” 

Chorus . — You shall, etc. 


IY. 

“ But,” the Prepositions said, 
“ Always put an if.” 
Participle cried : 1 1 My ’ed !” 
That brought on a tiff. 


Chorus . — You shall, etc. 


54 


THE FAIKY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


Y. 

Adjectives exclaimed : “ You’re fine.” 

Adverbs added : “ V ery. ” 

Poor Conjunction couldn’t shine, 

But the rest were merry. 

Chorus . — You shall, etc. 


Both the Articles, of course, 

Graced this pleasant party ; 

Though with talking The grew hoarse, 
His sister An was hearty. 

Chorus -. — You shall, etc. 

VII. 

Etymology would shout 
“ Don’t forget the Rules!” 

Syntax grandly stalked about — 

Both looked quite like fools. 

Chorus . — You shall, etc. 

VIII. 

Poor Orthography displayed 
Marks of usage cruel; 

“I’ve been murdered oft,” he said, 
“Though in bloodless duel.” 

Chorus . — You shall, etc. 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 


55 


“ Humph !” remarked Karl as he finished reading, 
“ that isn’t very funny.” 

“ Everything can’t be funny,” replied the queen. “ Y ou 
are not funny yourself, you know. I’ve seen you when 
you were cross, and when you were stupid, oh ! lots of 
times, but I never saw you w r hen you were the least bit 
funny” 

“ I don’t think you're very polite now,” said Karl, feel- 
ing quite vexed at this speech. I dare say I could be 
funny if I tried.” 

“You! not a bit of it,” answered the queen quickly. 
“Now I have a brother who is funny, but lie’s not at all 
like you — not at all,” and the little old woman shook her 
head, and chuckled in the most provoking way. 

Karl grew quite red in the face, he was so angry, and 
he said crossly : 

“What does your brother do, Your Majesty? and how 
does he talk ? Couldn’t you tell me something about him 
if he is so amusing ?” 

“I didn’t say he was amusing” corrected the queen, 
“ I said funny.” 

“Well, isn’t that much the same thing?” asked Karl. 

“ Not at all,” answered the queen, shaking her head. 
“ But I’ll repeat one of his stories for you, if you like.” 
And without waiting for an answer, she began : 


56 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


“Fanny Florence Felicia Finn 
Was sure to be known by her ugly grin. 

It covered her face from ear to chin, 

And quite disgusted all her kin. 

But all in vain their scolding din — 

She didn’t care a single pin 

For scolding — this naughty Fanny Finn. 

She went one day to the apple bin, 

But as she stood with that dreadful grin, 

Her mouth wide open, a mouse sprang in ! 

A little mouse, quite lean and thin. 

Down her throat, some shelter to win, 

Mousie went with a whirl and spin : 

The Doctors gave her jalap and gin, 

But Fanny Florence Felicia Finn 

Was choked, and all because of her grin /” 

Karl could not help laughing at this, especially as the 
queen made such dreadful faces while she repeated the 
lines. 

“ I told you he was funny !” said the queen as she con- 
cluded. 

“ Don’t you remember some more of his stories, Your 
Majesty ?” asked Karl, who had quite forgotten his vexa- 
tion by this time. 

“ Perhaps I could tell you one more,” said she. “ I 
will try it.” And she recited 




“•WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ? ” ASKED THE LARGEST ONE.— Page 57 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 


CAT CALLS. 


Two cats sat on the garden wall, 

One was large and one was small, 

One said “ Mi-ow,” the other said “ Wa-awl, 
Both said, 1 1 Mari-ar, I’ve come to call !” 


ii. 

“Where have you been?” asked the largest one. 
“ Looking for bones, and, alas! found none — 
Don’t tread on my tail !” said the smallest one • 
“I’m too hungry to care for fun.” 

in. 

“ What shall we do?” asked the largest cat. 

“ Let’s do something to make us fat.” 

“If you can’t find bones you can’t do that” 
Sadly answered the wisest cat.. 


“Where shall we go?” said the small cat then. 
“ Out of the way of boys and men : 

They’re cruel, nine times out of ten,” 

Said the largest cat, and mi-owed again. 


58 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


V. 

“I must be off,” says one to the other. 

“ Good-bye, and give my love to your mother : 
Come to-night, and bring your brother 
To sing at my concert,” says one to t’other. 


vr. 

Two cats sprang down from the garden wall : 

Both said, “Mari-ar, a pleasant call !” 

Back from the corner came a faint squall 

That was half like “Mi-ow,” and half like “ Wa-awl.” 

“ Oh ! I wish our cat talked,” exclaimed Karl, as soon 
as he stopped laughing. “ How I would love to hear 
her !” 

She does talk,” said the queen decidedly. Fve heard 
her talk often enough, but of course you haven’t — you 
wouldn’t understand her if you had.” 

“ Why not?” asked Karl. 

“ Because she talks in the cat language, and that is too 
difficult for you to learn,” replied the old woman. 

“ My teacher says that we can learn anything, no matter 
how difficult, if we try hard enough,” observed Karl. 
The queen stamped her foot. 

“He does, does he?” she said. “ Well, let him try the 


OR, KARL’S queer stories. 59 

cat language and see wliat lie can make of it. After lie 
has studied it for twenty years he won’t find a kitten, not 
one, that will talk to him ! They will purr and mew, and 
hold their tongues, just as they do now.” 

Then looking around the room, the queen asked ; 
“ Have you any more lessons ? It is getting very late, 
I am afraid.” 

“ Oh !” Karl exclaimed, “ here is my Header, full of 
poetry that I can’t understand and can’t remember. You 
might find something in it for me to recite at school to- 
morrow, Your Majesty.” 

“ Very well, I will,” said the queen. So she shook up 
the Header to such good purpose that Karl was delighted 
to find a new piece in it, called 


WHAT THE SPARROW SAID. 

i. 

“Good morning ma’am, good morning! 
I’m glad to see these crumbs : 

I told my wife about them 

Last night, and here she comes [ 

I told her we should find some 
Upon your window-sill: 

You never have forgotten us, 

I hope you never will. 


GO 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


II. 

“This weather is so trying! 

I really don’t like snow — 

You wouldn’t like it either 
If you lived out-doors, you know. 

You can praise the feathery snow-flakes, 
Sitting there, so snug and warm ; 

Do you think you’d see their beauty 
Out here, ma’am, in the storm ? 

in. 

“ I can see your pet canary, 

Sometimes he chirps at me ; 

He’s a very happy fellow, 

As indeed he ought to be ! 

No thought about his breakfast, 

No scratching in the street, 

To pick a scanty dinner 
Beneath the horses’ feet. 


“No fear of cold and tempest, 

Not a cloud to mar his life — 
He don’t know half his blessings, 
As I’ve often told my wife ! 
‘Yes,’ said I, ‘Mrs. Sparrow, 

If I was in his place 
I’d sing from night till morning, 
And wear a smiling face.’ 


OR, KARL'S QUEER STORIES. 


61 


.V. 

“Pray, what is that you say, ma’am ? 

‘ You'd do as much for me , 

Buy me a cage ? ’ — that’s kind, ma’am, 

You’re as good as you can be. 

But if I took your offer, 

Why — there’s my wife, you see, 

And my friends, and — altogether 
It’s pleasant to be free!" 

“ Does that poetry suit you ?” inquired the old woman, 
as Karl came to a stop. 

“ Yes, indeed, I can remember that easily, ’’said Karl, 
“ and I mean to speak it to-morrow. How all the teachers 
will wonder ! and how the children will laugh !” 

Just at this moment Karl saw a thin copy-book quite at 
the bottom of the pile, and pulled it out. “Here is the 
very worst book of all — my composition book,” he said, 
holding it out to the queen. “ I have to write a compo- 
sition every week, and it is dreadful work, I can tell you. 
I never can think of anything to say, and so I just write 
nonsense, and get bad marks for it, or else my sister has 
to help me. Last week our teacher gave us for a subject 
“ Flowers,” and here is all I could think of : 

Composition. — “ Flowers grow in the garden, except 
what grows in flower-pots, and the kind you make bread 


62 


TITE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


of, that comes in barrels, but T like hot biscuits best. 
Flowers are all colors, so you can tell them from the 
leaves. All kinds of crackers are made of flour except 
fire-crackers. Flowers look better than vegetables in the 
garden, but vegetables taste the best. That is all.” 

“And poor enough, too,” remarked the queen, who 
had listened very attentively. “ Why I should think you 
might write something better than that.” 

“ But I can’t, you understand,” said Karl, looking 
rather ashamed of himself. 

“ Then I must take pity on you, I suppose, and help 
you to one composition at least,” was the queen’s com- 
ment, as she took the book. 

But this time she did not shake it, she only blew on it, 
puckering her mouth as if she -was trying to whistle. 

“ Why don’t you shake it as you did the rest ?” asked 
Karl. 

“Because there is nothing in it but nonsense, and I 
couldn’t get a good story out of what you have written,” 
she replied. 

Karl did not like this much, but he could not help 
himself. So he looked to see what was coming, and 
found 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 


THE CARELESS BOY. 


When Peter Patchin was ten years old 
He was terribly careless, so I’ve been told. 

He made his poor mother fret and scold 
And all his brothers and sisters pout 
By the way he threw his things about, 
lie left his cap at the foot of the stair, 

He dropped his handkerchief under his chair — 
He flung his coat 
Into corners remote — 

His school-books and pencils were everywhere. 
He had pockets in plenty, 

But if he’d had twenty 

He never could of his knife take care. 

If you gave him a cent, 

Who could tell where it went? 

Lost, of course, before it was spent — 

In short, he drove all his friends to despair. 


II. 

Now, what to do with a boy like this, 

So forgetful and so remiss? 

4 * Send him away to school,” said his mother. 

“ No! send him to sea” said his eldest brother. 
Some said one thing and some another — 

And meanwhile the cause of all this bother 


64 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


Went on his careless, heedless way, 

Growing worse and worse from day to day. 

m. 

It happened that Peter’s Uncle Dick * 

Had a very curious walking-stick, 

Round and knobby and polished and thick, 

And since the poor man had been lame and sick 
He couldn’t walk without it at all — 

So the cane was always at hand in the hall. 


IV. 

But Peter took it, “just to play horse,” 

And then — why, he flung it down, of course ; 
Where he left it he couldn’t say, 

But the cane was gone — that was plain as day — 
And wasn't his Uncle cross ! 


v. 

He ordered poor Peter right off to bed, 

He wouldn’t listen to what he said, 

And he only answered to each excuse : 

“Get out of my sight! you’re a heedless goose; 
You’d lose your head if your head was loose.” 


VI. 

So in tears to his room poor Peter fled, 

But he thought, as he made himself ready for bed, 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 


65 


Of the very last words his uncle said, 

And he put up his hands and felt his head. 
“No, that's a thing I’m sure to keep!” 
Said Peter, just as he fell asleep. 


VII. 

But now the queerest thing he dreamed 
He was in the parlor, or so it seemed, 

Sitting close by the table there — 

Curled up in a heap in an easy chair — 

But a stranger sat in his mother’s place, 

A tall old man with a wicked face, 

Who looked at Peter and grinned and said : 

“Take care, my fine fellow, you’ll lose your head; 
I unscrewed it just now, and you’re such a goose 
You won’t remember I’ve left it loose.” 


VIII. 

“ Oh, please ! dear sir, won’t you make it tight?” 
Cried Peter then, in a terrible fright; 

“I shan’t mind the pain 
If you’ll screw it again, 

Only let me feel that my head is all right.!’ 

But the old man said, “ No ! 

I shall leave it just so — 

You’re a careless boy and I owe you a spite.” 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


m 


So the cross old fellow walked away, 

While Peter wept till his eyes were red, 
Then, quite forgetting his unscrewed head, 
Ran out for a little game of croquet. 

But alas! in the very midst of the play, 
Dreadful to tell ! 

Down his head fell. 

“ Pick me vjy, Peter ” he heard it say. 

“Yes, by and by,” 

Was Peter’s reply. 

The head gave a sigh, 

Then into the brook it rolled and lay ! 


x. 

When the game was finished Peter said : 

“ Dear me, where have I left my head? 

I can’t remember, I wish 1 knew — 

I look like a fright without it, too !” 

So he went feeling all over the ground, 

But quite in vain — the head wasn’t found — 
Safe in the little brook it lay, 

But the careless boy never turned that way. 


XI. 

Now — for this curious dream went on — 
Out came his uncles James and John, 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 


67 


Aunts and cousins and parents too, 

Brothers and sisters — each had a view 
Of poor headless Peter; his’Uncle Dick 
Stood there, shaking his walking-stick, 

And saying: “ It’s just as I told the goose — 

He’s lost his head, for his head was loose !” 

XII. 

Well, this was more than Peter could bear. 

He clasped his hands with a cry of despair, 

And blindly running, now here, now there, 
Tumbled into the brook where lay his head, 

And found — he had tumbled out of bed ! 

XIII. 

The gladdest fellow you ever knew 
Was Peter Patchin. “It isn’t true ! 

My head is all right, and needs no screw 
To keep it on,” with a smile he cried, 

As he rolled it about from side to side. 

Then joyfully back to his pillow he crept, 

And the rest of the night without dreaming slept. 

XIV. 

I wish I could say 

That from that very day 

Peter Patchin conquered his careless way. 


68 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


But I cannot, you see, 

For I know well that he 

Is still as heedless as heedless can be. 

And as Uncle Dick says: “ He’s such a goose. 

That he’d lose his head if his head was loose !” 

“ But they will all know I didn’t write it,” said Karl. 
“ It doesn’t sound the least hit like my compositions.” 

“I should think not,” was all the queen said. She 
took up another book, and asked : 

“ Wliat is this ? a second composition-book ?” 

“ Oh, that is my copy-book. I blotted it yesterday in 
school, and so I brought it home with me, to write a 
new page,” explained Karl. 

“ Blotted it ? I should be ashamed of myself if I were 
you,” said the queen severely. “ The idea of such a 
great boy blotting his writing lesson like that /” and she 
held up the open book, which certainly was very slovenly. 

“ A fellow can’t help making ink-spots once in a 
while,” muttered Karl, growing red in the face. 

“Well, see what these great blots will say to you,” 
said the old woman, shaking up the book. 

And sure enough, at the top of the page stood a row 
nf queer figures, thus— 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 


69 



Poor Gretchen was a kitchen maid, 

She came from Yaterland, 

She said “ Ja wohl ” to everything 
She couldn’t understand. 

One day a large bouquet was brought — 
Thus said the serving-man : 
i4 With Mr. Brown’s best compliments, 
For your Miss Mary Ann.” 


Then Gretchen smiled and said “ Ja wohl 
She put the soup-pot on, 

She boiled and boiled that huge bouquet 
Until an hour had gone. 

She laid the bouquet carefully 
Upon her biggest dish, 

And on^it poured the butter sauce 
As if it was a fish ! 


70 


THE FAIEY OF THE MOONBEAM; 



Miss Mary Ann was in a rage — 

“You stupid girl!” said she. 

“ Ja wohl ',” was all poor Gretchen said, 

She wept so bitterly. 

“Go! go!” cried cross Miss Mary Ann, 

“Go back to Yaterland.” 

“ Ja wohl ’,” said Gretchen, sobbing still, 

Her luggage in her hand. 

“ Wliat a goose !” exclaimed Karl. “ Didn’t she know 
enough to tell a bouquet of flowers from a bunch of veg- 
etables ?” 

“ Dear ! dear ! more blots !” grumbled the old woman, 
turning over the leaves. 

“ Any more stories ?” inquired Karl. 

“ Try this page,” answered the queen. 

So he took up his copy-book again and read 


OR, KARL’S queer stories. 


71 


A WARNING AGAINST SHELL-FISH-NESS. 

A sad and pensive oyster 
Sat on the shore and sighed ; 

A jolly clam came sailing in 
Upon the rising tide. 

“Good morrow, Cousin Oyster,” 

Said the clam — “a lovely day! 

And what thick mud ! it’s charming here ! 

I really think I’ll stay.” 

“ Alas!” exclaimed the oyster, 

“ What matters all the mud, 

When the fish in yon great ocean 
Will shed each other’s blood? 

When the shark will chase the mullet, 

And the smallest creatures sail 
Right down the yawning gullet 
Of the monster called a whale ?” 

“Now be cheerful, Cousin Oyster,” 

Said the clam — “be cheerful, do — 

Come dine to-day, for some one may 
To-morrow dine on you! 

Grief is wearing, Cousin Oyster — 

’Tis a shell-fish thing to say, 

But indeed you’re growing moister, 

Yes, and thinner every day!” 


72 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


“ Clam, don’t be so unpleasant, 

Your feelings are not fine, 

You cannot know the weight of woe 
Upon this heart of mine” — 

Thus spake the dismal oyster. 

Clam grinned and said, “Not I !” 
He turned and fled that oyster-bed, 
Nor waited for “good-bye.” 


“ Oh, dear ! what a dismal oyster !” said Karl, laugle 
ing, as he put down his copy-book. 

“ Is that all ?” asked the queen. 

“ All but this one, my Astronomy, and if you’ll get a 
nice story out of that I shall be quite ready to go with 
you, Your Majesty,’’ replied Karl. 

So the queen shook up the last hook, and the new 
story was about the Lambkins again, to Karl’s delight. 


THE LAMBKINS LOOKING FOR CHINA. 


i. 

“ Dear, dear!” said Mrs. Lambkin, 

“ Our children must go to school, 
Peter Moses is a genius, 

But he acts just like a fool ! 


OR, KARL'S QUEER STORIES. 

Lucy Lydia too is clever, 

Though she don’t know how to show it 
While Abraham Adolphus 
Must learn to be a poet !” 


So Mr. and Mrs. Lambkin 
Went out that very day 
And bought six market baskets — 

“ To carry their lunch,” said they. 
Children are always hungry, 

And sweet things,” said Mrs. L., 
Will keep their minds a-growing, 
And help them to study well.” 

hi. 

Then excellent Mrs. Lambkin 
Began to brew and bake, 

Till each of the Lambkin children 
Had a basket full of cake. 

To school next day they hastened, 
But they came home faster still — 
I’m afraid, ’’said the anxious mother, 
“ That study has made them ill!” 


IY. 

Suppose,” said Mr. Lambkin, 

“You teach them at home, my dear? 
When I was young, I remember 
That teachers were too severe. 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 

I always had a headache 

Just as the clock struck nine — ” 

Did you?” said Mrs. Lambkin, 

‘ ‘ Why, that was the hour for mine !” 


So all the six little Lambkins 
Went to school at home next day, 
With Mrs. L. for their teacher — 

And she heard term in b-a, ha. 

1 think,” said Father Lambkin, 

When she got to b-e, he, 

They need a geography lesson, 

Aud that they shall have from me” 

VI. 

He took them into the garden — 

“ Now, children, the earth is round, 
Round as an apple, remember ! 

If you dug a hole in the ground 
And went on digging and digging, 

Till you got to the other side, 

You’d find yourselves in China!” 
“Let’s do it!” the children cried. 

VII. 

They ran for their spades and shovels, 
They began without delay, 

Digging and digging and digging, 
And shovelling the dirt away. 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 


75 


They worked in the pleasant sunlight, 
And then by the light of the moon ; 

“ Keep on!” cried the Lambkin children — 
“We’ll get there very soon.” 

VIII. 

The hole grew deeper and deeper, 

Then came a stormy day, 

The rain poured down in torrents — 
“In-doors, dears, you must stay,” 

Said careful Mrs. Lambkin. 

But when the night drew near 
The storm had spent its fury, 

The moon was shining clear. 


The hole was full of water 
When they took up their spades once more, 
But wildly the children shouted — • 

For what do you think they saw? 

Under that muddy water, 

As plain, as plain as day, 

Another moon was shining ! 

To light them on their way ! 


x. 

They called their father and mother, 
They laughed and danced with glee — 
“ We’ve dug a hole into China, 

That’s the Chinese moon we see !” 


76 


THE FAIRY OF THE 3100 A BEAM; 


“ I believe it!” cried Father Lambkin, 
Gazing down at the moon : 

“ Get out this water, children, 

And we’ll Pekin very soon.” . 

XI. 

So they ran for their pails and buckets, 
To dip the water out, 

But the ground was wet and slippery — 
Somehow it came about — 

They crowded close to the edges, 

All anxious to begin, 

And without a moment’s warning 
The Lambkins all fell in ! 

XII. 

Oh, how they screamed and struggled, 
And splashed the water about ! 

Till the neighbors came to help them, 
And pulled the Lambkins out. 

Then, wet and cold and muddy, 

Back to the house they went ; 

Instead of seeing China 

That night at home they spent. 

XIII. 

And while the Lambkin children 
Were sleeping safe and sound, 

The neighbors took their shovels 

And filled up the hole in the ground ; 


OR, KARL’S qurer stories. 77 

Yes, filled up the road to China, 

And smoothed it round and round — 

“ For,” said the careful neighbors, 

“ Those children will be drowned.” 

xiv. 

“ I think,” said Mrs. Lambkin, 

(As she looked at the place next day,) 

“ If you want to go to China 

You must find some other way. 

Digging a hole is tedious, 

And then it’s uncertain, quite — ” 

“There, wife,” cried Mr. Lambkin, 

“You see that I was right!” 


“ Oh, dear !” exclaimed Karl as he finished this story, 
“ how sorry I am that I have no more lessons. I should 
like to hear some more about the Lambkins. 

“ There is one more story, about their fishing excur- 
sion, in that book,” observed the queen. 

“Won’t you show it to me, please Your Majesty?” 
begged Karl. So the old woman gave him the book, 
open in another place, and there he found an account of 


78 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM 


THE LAMBKINS A-FISHING. 


I. 

“My dear,” said Mr. Lambkin, 
“Our Adolphus has a wish 
To spend a day in the country, 
And catch a few nice fish. 

So I think it will be better 
For one and all to go ; 

Then we can make our dinner 
On the fish he gets, you know.” 


ii. 

“I’ll go and buy the fish-hooks, 

And — let me see — a line, 

While you can pack a basket 
With what we need to dine.” 

“Yes, yes!” cried Mrs. Lambkin — 

“I was always fond of fish.” 

So in her largest basket 

She packed her biggest dish. 

hi. 

Then plates and cups and teaspoons 
Were dropped in here and there — 
The butter was wrapped in a paper 
And laid on the top with care. 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 

Next, salt and peppei and parsley 
And mustard by way of spice, 

Filled up the holes and corners — 

“Dear, dear!” said the children, “ how nice 


IV. 

Then last she packed the frying-pan, 

And over all she tied 

Her water-proof cloak — “Perhaps ’twill do 
For a table-cloth,” she cried. 

1 Come, wife,” said Father Lambkin, 

“’Tis surely time to start.” 

So off went each small Lambkin, 

With smiles and joyful heart. 


v. 

But the way was long and dusty, 

The basket was heavy beside, 

The older children grumbled, 

The younger sat down and cried ! 

‘ Dear me !” said Mrs. Lambkin, 

‘ I’ve heard that fishing was sport.” 
‘You must wait,” said Father Lambkin, 
“Wait till the fish are caught.” 


‘ Hurrah !” I see the water!” 

Adolphus glad did shout — 

‘ Quick ! quick ! unpack the basket, 
Let’s get our fish-hooks out.” 


80 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM 


So they emptied their troublesome basket 
Right out upon the ground, 

But alas ! the fishiDg tackle 
Was nowhere to be found ! 

VII. 

“ I’m afraid,” said Father Lambkin, 

As he slowly rubbed his head, 

“That I quite forgot to buy it, 

So there’s nothing to be said.” 

But clever Mrs. Lambkin 
Held up a nice bent pin, 

And cried, “ Why, here’s a fish-hook; 
Adolphus, do begin.” 

VIII. 

They dug a- fine fat ground-worm 
And baited well their hook, 

They tied it to a piece of twine 
And cast it in the brook. 

For hours they sat and waited 
To see what might be caught — 

“There, wife,” said Father Lambkin, 

“ I told you fishing was sport !” 


IX. 

But at last they heard the thunder 
And saw the rain drops fall ; 
Then under their great big basket 
They crowded, one and all. 


I TOLD YOXT FISHING WAS SPORT ! Page 80. 
































tv 













OR, KARL’S QUEER STORIES. 


81 


' See the lightning!’’ said Mrs. Lambkin — 
‘ Suppose we should be struck !” 

“ My dear,’’ replied her husband, 

‘ This is only fisherman’s luck.” 


x. 

Once more the sun shone brightly, 
And Adolphus cast his line. 

“ I think,” said Mrs. Lambkin, 

“ ’Tis surely time to dine,. 

If we only had some crackers, 

Or a little bread and meat ! 

For though there’s sport in fishing, 
You don’t get much to eat.” 

xr. 

But soon the shades of evening 
Were falling thick and fast; 
“Hurrah!” cried brave Adolphus, 

“ I’ve caught a fish at last !” 

A tiny little minnow 

Had by the gills been caught — 

“ Ah . wife!” said Mr. Lambkin, 

“I told you fishing was sport.” 

XII. 

Well, they packed it in the basket, 
That small unlucky fish, 

With plates and cups and teaspoons, 
With frying-pan and dish; 


82 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


The butter — that had melted — 

Yes, melted long ago, 

So they threw away the parsley 
To lighten the load, you know. 

XIII. 

“I think,” said Mrs. Lambkin, 

When at last they reached their door, 

“That fishing’s very pleasant, 

But — I don’t want any more !” 

“ Pooh, pooh!” said Father Lambkin, 

As up the stairs he brought 
The basket, “ haven’t I told you, 

My dear, that fishing is sport /” 

“ How perfectly ridiculous that old Father Lambkin 
is !” said Karl. “ I wish I had some more lessons now, 
Y our Majesty, and then I could hear some more of your 
stories.” 

“Well, you wouldn’t study Botany, although your 
teacher wanted you to begin six months ago,” replied the 
queen. “ I could have shown you some wonderful things 
in your botanical books. But come, we must really go 
now,” and so saying she went toward the window, 
closely followed by Karl, and opening it, looked about 
her for a moment. 

“ There ! I was afraid it would be so,” she remarked ; 




SHE HELPED HIM TO A SEAT IN FRONT OF HER.— Page 83, 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 


83 


“ the moon lias gone, she was tired of waiting so long, 
and I shall have to take yon on my race-horse.” 

With that she clapped her hands, and in a moment a 
broom came stumping along, ready saddled and bridled. 

The little old woman sprang on, and holding out her 
hand to Karl, who was getting more and more accus- 
tomed to her strange ways every moment, she helped 
him to a seat in front of her. Then she called out : 

“ Gallop !” and at once the broom horse started off as 
fast as if he had been a real horse. 

“ Isn’t this just as good as riding on a moon-beam, your 
Majesty ?” asked Karl directly. 

“ Yes,” said the queen, “yes, it is just as well for us, 
but I did not want to tire my horse, because I have to 
run a race when I get home, and I am afraid he will not 
be able to carry me after this long journey.” 

“ Why, how queer !” said Karl, laughing. “ Only think 
of running races on broomsticks ! They don’t look at all 
like horses, I’m sure.” 

“ Why don’t they ?” asked the queen crossly. 

“ Oh, because — because — they haven’t any heads , you 
know,” explained Karl, feeling afraid to say anything 
that might offend the queen, and yet determined to an- 
swer her truthfully. 

“Well, what of that?” she said. “My horse always 


84 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


gets ahead when he runs a race, and of course that is 
quite enough for me.” 

So they went on silently for some time. All at once 
the queen exclaimed, “ Here we are I” and Karl found 
that they were in the middle of a large field. 

Looking around him as their broom horse stopped, he 
saw about a dozen queer-looking little old women, all 
enough like the queen to be her sisters, standing in one 
corner with their brooms beside them. All around the 
edge of the field a wide smooth path ran, and on a little 
platform near by stood a funny little old man. 

Karl thought he was an old man, but when he got off 
the horse and went a little closer he found that it was 
only a large green parrot, in a scarlet coat with long tails, 
boots with spurs on his feet, and a pair of blue spectacles 
on his head. 1 

The parrot-man held a little book in his beak which 
seemed to have writing in it. Presently he dropped the 
hook, and said in a harsh voice : 

“ Let the race begin.” 

In a moment every one of the old women had jumped 
upon her broom and began galloping around the field as 
fast as she could go. 

Karl watched them eagerly, and was delighted to see 
that the queen was ahead, and after going round about 


ou, karl’s queer stories. 


85 


a dozen times she had tired out all the others, and was 
left alone on the road. Still she kept on, although the 
parrot-man screamed, “ Stop ! stop, I say !” as loud as he 
could bawl, and Karl too called to her, saying : 

“You have won the race, Your Majesty; why don’t 
you stop?” 

Finally she did stop, close to Karl, and got oft her 
horse. The parrot-man turned round angrily and 
said : 

“ You have broken the rules 1” 

This made the queen so angry that she immediately 
jumped on her horse again and rode right over the par- 
rot-man, leaving him sprawling on the ground. While 
he was yet struggling and kicking Karl stooped and 
picked up his little book, and then the queen called him 
to follow her, so he ran after her w T ith the book in his 
hand. 

She led the way to a large house which Karl had not 
noticed before, and w T hen the door was opened by a 
monkey, dressed in uniform like a soldier, she took Karl 
into a large kitchen, stood her broom in one corner, and 
went out again, telling him to wait until she came 
back. I 

Karl sat down, but as soon as all was quiet the broom 
sighed, and said : 


86 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


“ Hateful old tiling ! I’m glad she’s gone — I wish she 
would never come back.” 

“ Why ?” asked Karl, getting up and walking over to 
the corner where the broom stood. 

Instead of answering, the broom sighed again, and said 
solemnly : 

“ Did you know that I was in love ?” 

“Ho,” answered Karl, laughing, “I did not know 
that a broom could love anything.” 

“ Then you didn’t know much,” said the broom. “ I 
am in love with the dust-pan !” 

Karl didn’t know what to say, so he kept silence, and 
the broom went on : 

“ Open the door behind me, if you please, and you will 
hear her sing.” 

Karl immediately opened the door, and saw a small 
bedroom. In the fireplace stood the dust-pan, and pres- 
ently she began to sing, in a queer cracked thin voice, 
this song : 


SONG OF THE DUST PAN. 

He is coming ! my own ! my broom ! 

I can hear liis stumpy tread ; 

The cobwebs wave in the gloom, 

By wariest spider spread. 


OR, KARL’S QUEER STORIES. 


87 


The dust, will rise in the room, 

Though now it lies quiet and dead, 

Will rise and fly and settle full soon 
On bureau and table and bed. 

“ Oil dear ! who ever heard a dust-pan sing before ? It 
is too ridiculous,” exclaimed Karl when this song was 
finished. 

“ Why shouldn’t a dust-pan sing as w r ell as a tea-ket- 
tle?*-' demanded the broom crossly. 

“ I never thought of that,” said Karl. 

1 ‘ Humph!” grunted the broom. “Now keep very 
still, if you please, and let me sing my song. I suppose 
you think I can’t sing, either.” 

u Oh, no indeed ! I am sure you have a fine voice, and 
1 should be delighted to hear you sing,” answered Karl 
quickly So the broom sang: 


THE SONG OF THE BROOM. 

Oh, come into the kitchen, dear, 

The jealous duster has flown, 

Come into the kitchen, dear. 

I hang ou my nail alone; 

And the soapsud odors are wafted here, 
And the scent of the onions blown. 


88 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


“Well, I wouldn’t liave believed that, brooms and dust 
pans, and all such things, could sing and talk!” cried 
Karl. “ It’s such fun ! I do wish, Mr. Broom, that you 
lived in our house.” 

The broom nodded with a wise look. “ If you wish 
to hear,” he said, “ I know a story of the adventures of 
a broom, who was a distant relation of mine, and I can 
tell it to you.” 

“ Oh, please do, Mr. Broom !” exclaimed Karl ; so the 
broom straightened himself and began with “ Once upon 
a time — ” when suddenly the queen’s voice was heard 
outside. 

Instantly the broom started, stopped speaking, and be- 
gan to kick. 

“ Go on, do go on,” said Karl. 

“ Is she coming ?” whispered the broom. 

Karl listened, but the queen’s voice was not to be 
heard. “No, no, she has gone away again,” he said, and 
at last the broom made up his mind to proceed. So he 
began again by saying, “ This is the very affecting his- 
tory of 


THE AMBITIOUS BROOM. - 

Once upon a time a very small broom stood in the cor- 
ner of a shop, waiting for a purchaser. It 1 was just be- 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 


89 


fore Christmas, and one day arrived a number of ever- 
green trees, one of which, as it so happened, was placed 
quite close to our little broom. 

The poor thing was lonely, and glad enough of a 
companion, so they soon entered into a conversation, 
somewhat boastful on the part of the tree, who rather 
looked down on his new acquaintance — thought her quite 
plebeian in fact — but then it served to while away the 
time, and the broom was very unpresuming. 

Among other things the tree descanted much on the 
glories awaiting him in his new part of a Christmas 
tree. 

“ Only think what a fate it is !” he exclaimed with en- 
thusiasm — “to be dressed with ribbons, lights, flowers 
— to be laden with candies and all sorts of lovely gifts — 
admired by all beholders — the central figure of a beautiful 
picture ! Am I not enviable ?” 

“ Indeed you are !” said the broom, sighing deeply 
as she spoke. “ And how different is my destiny ! — a poor, 
plain, homely broom, whom no one will ever adorn or 
admire — it is really too sad.” 

“ Yes, and you will always have to work hard, I sup- 
pose,” said the tree, complacently. “ You will be obliged 
to sweep every day, and how horrid that must be.” 

“ Dreadful !” replied the poor little broom, more down- 


90 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


cast than ever. “ And who knows how soon we shall 
be parted ? Promise me one thing — that you will not 
forget me, even when you are radiant with your Christ- 
mas glories !” for the broom was given to sentiment, and 
she felt just then very romantic. 

But the tree did not answer. A gentleman entered at 
that moment and made choice of our friend, who was 
carried off at once. 

“ Good-bye !” he called out as he went. “ I hope you 
will have a merry Christmas ! but you will miss a great 
deal in not seeing meP 

The broom would have been too sad to answer if it had 
been possible to do so, but her new friend only nodded 
gayly and then disappeared. Presently came a poorly- 
dressed woman who bought a scrubbing-brush, a bar of 
soap, and finally took up our broom. 

After a little disputing the bargain was made, and the 
woman carried off her three purchases. 

The broom looked at her mistress, saw how plain and 
worn her clothes were, and felt quite sure that she should 
never see a Christmas tree now. 

All that day, and the next, the broom was kept at 
work. She swept, swept, until she ached with fatigue, 
and she grew more melancholy every hour. She heard 
the woman tell her three children that she was cleaning 


OR, KARL’S QUEER STORIES. 91 

the house for Christmas, upon which one of them 
asked : 

“ Then can we have a Christmas tree, mother ?” 

The mother stopped sweeping and the broom listened 
eagerly for her answer, but the poor woman said sadly : 

“ Alas, dear children, I am too poor to buy gifts for 
you this year, and the trees cost so much ! I had only a 
few pence with which I bought this broom.” 

“ I wish then that the ugly old broom had been a 
tree,” said Lisa, the eldest girl. 

“ That is just what I wish too,” said the broom to her- 
self, and if a broom could cry she would have cried then, 
she felt so badly. 

That evening, when the sweeping and dusting were 
finished, she stood in the corner of the clean, cozy, bright 
little kitchen, watching the children and their mother 
as they ate their supper, and quite forgetting how tired 
she was as she listened to their lively chat. 

After a while Minnie, who was eight years old, whis- 
pered to Lisa, her elder sister : “ Lisa, I’ve thought of 
something. We can have a Christmas tree too. We’ll 
make one.” 

“ How ?” asked her sister. 

“ So,” answered Minnie, as she ran to the corner of 
the kitchen and caught up the broom. “ Come, Lisa, 


92 ~ THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 

make haste, and dress up this broom — it is Christmas 
Eve !” 

Lisa took the broom from her sister’s hand and carried 
it into the little bedroom. “¥e must tie it to the back 
of a chair, I suppose,” she said, and Johnnie, who had 
followed the girls, brought out a long piece of twine at 
once. 

Then while the mother was washing dishes, brushing 
up the hearth, and mixing some bread for next day, the 
three children began to decorate the broom with some 
old motto-papers of many colors, bits of old ribbon, two 
small china dogs, a pop-corn ball, and all the rest of their 
scanty treasures. 

Lisa found in the closet two long bright feathers from 
a feather duster, which she tied at the very top of the 
handle. Minnie brought out her rag-doll, Johnnie pro- 
duced his broken jumping-jack, and everything was 
tied on carefully with the scraps of ribbon. When at 
last the mother came in to see their work she admired it 
very much, and she gave them a large bunch of pink and 
white flowers from an old bonnet she had worn many 
years before. 

This gift improved the tree so much that the children 
were delighted, and they could not refrain from shouting 
and clapping their hands. 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 


93 


As for the broom herself, she was much too happy to 
stand straight, but kept inclining constantly to one side 
or the other. 

“ Only to think that my dreams are realized, and I am 
a Christmas tree after all !” was what she kept saying 
over and over. Then she wondered how those feathers 
looked, and wished that some one would bring a mirror, 
that she might see her own splendor. 

When at last the children were abed and asleep, the 
mother hung upon the broom some sticks of candy, and 
a few little cakes which she had made. Some of these 
cakes were shaped like men and women, and had currants 
for eyes, and these last greatly pleased the broom, who 
felt that now her magnificence was complete. The chil- 
dren’s admiring comments in the morning filled her with 
new delight, if that were possible, and again she wished 
that she could view herself. 

So through the whole murning she stood in the little 
bedroom, thinking how lovely it was to be a Christmas 
tree. The two tall feathers nodded, the pop-corn ball 
swung, so did the old rag-baby and the jumping-jack, 
and the broom could only whisper to herself : 

“ I am so happy ! I have nothing more to wish for.” 

But there was a greater happiness in store for her. 
Johnnie came in with some little candles, which a kind 


94 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOOHBEAM; 


neighbor had given him, and began to fasten them on. 
Then the tree-broom was carried into the kitchen, the 
candles were lit as soon as the night fell, and the whole 
family gazed at it delightedly, forgetting that their sup- 
per was ready and cooling. 

At last they sat down to the table, and for a few mo- 
ments the broom was unnoticed. 

Suddenly Lisa screamed, as she sprang up : 

“ Our tree ! our tree is on tire !” 

It was too true ! The candles had set the motto-papers 
on fire, the two feathers caught next, the pink and white 
flowers were all in a blaze, and alas ! the poor little 
broom itself was burning ! 

Quickly the mother dashed water upon it, and put out 
the flames, but not until the broom was quite spoiled. 
It would never do any more sweeping. 

“ My new broom too,” said the poor woman, sadly, as 
she looked at it. 

“ All our things spoiled,” said Minnie, half crying. 

But the broom was saying to herself : “ It is better 
so. I’m glad of it ! yes — I’m glad of it ! I never could 
have gone back to sweeping and cleaning, and a dull, 
prosy life, after having been a Christmas tree. It is 
much better as it is.” 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 


95 


“ What a nice story ! but how sad it was for the poor 
little broom,” said Karl, when the broom stopped. 

“ But I do believe,” he added, after thinking a few 
moments, “ that everything talks !” 

“ Of course, things talk — if they didn’t, how would I 
know what thev said ?” asked the broom. 

u Why, you might make it up, you know,” answered 
Karl. 

u Make it up ! Do you mean that I tell lies f ” de- 
manded the broom, thumping the lioor in his anger. 

“ No, no, I didn’t mean that, Mr. Broom. I only 
meant that you — you — ” 

u It’s my opinion that you don’t know wliat you do 
mean,” interrupted the broom. 

“ I’m afraid I don’t,” meekly answered Karl. 

u If you mean that for an apology I’ll accept it,” said 
the broom in a milder tone. 

“ Couldn’t you tell me another story, Mr. Broom ?” 
asked Karl. 

The broom considered. “ Perhaps I could tell you 
about the little mice in the big cheese,” he said. 

“ Yes, tell me that,” cried Karl. “ But make haste, ’ 
please, or the queen may come back and catch you.” 

So the broom coughed once or twice and began : 


96 . 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


Two little mice, so soft and gray, 

Who lived at their ease 
In a monstrous cheese 
Gave a fine ball to their friends one day. 


ii. 

There was Mr. Whisker and Mrs. Fright, 
Little Pit-a-pat, 

So cunning and fat, 

And cross old Sharp-tooth, ready to bite. 
hi. 

Mr. Long-tail came with his meek little wife, 
And their children three, 

Who could never agree, 

But kept up a very unpleasant strife. 

IY. 

Then last of all came Fidgety-wink, 

Whose eyes were so weak 
She did nothing but squeak, 

And hold her fan to her face and blink. 


They were all assembled by half past four, 
And the dancing began 
Just as Mary Ann, 

The waitress, opened the pantry door ! 


OK, karl’s queer stories. 


YE 

Then how they hurried and scampered about ! 

This way and that — 

While poor Pit-a-pat 
Sprang into a barrel and couldn’t get out. 

VII. 

Wicked Mary Ann screamed and startled the house; 
Some one ran for the cat ; 

Of course — after that — 

You’ll guess what became of the poor dear mouse! 

VIII. 

The rest of the party sobbed and cried ; 

Their grief was so great 
At Pit-a-pat’s fate 

That they 'finished the cheese and the rind beside! 

“ Is that all ?” asked Karl, when the broom paused. 

“ Isn’t it enough ?” asked the broom. 

“ Why, no. I wanted to hear what they did at the 
party, and how they danced, and all that. I don’t think 
that was much of a story,” said Karl. 

The broom considered and then he said : 

“ Would you like a story about the yellow china cat 
and the terra-cotta dog your mother keeps in the parlor?” 
“ Of course I w T ould !” exclaimed Karl. “ Do you 

know a story about them ?” 


98 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


“ There is a very affecting story of them in that little 
book you took from the parrot. Give it to me, and I 
will read it to you. 

“ Oh, thank you, Mr. Broom ; that will be splendid !” 
said Karl. u Then I can tell it to my mother when I 
get home, and how astonished she will be !” 

So Karl handed him the book, and the broom read in 
a loud voice the story of 

PUSS AND PUG. 

i. 

In his corner by the fireplace 
The china pug-dog sat; 

He gazed in solemn silence 
At the yellow china cat. 

Days and weeks he sat and watched her 
With his cold, unwinking stare, 

But her green eyes never saw him — 

A most unsocial pair ! 

ii. 

One night, when twelve was striking, 

The room had quiet grown, 

The fire was burning dimly, 

At last they were alone ! 

Then the dog began — “ Dear pussy, 

Is not ours a cruel fate ? 

I am longing to be near you, 

But we’re parted by the grate ! 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 


99 


III. 

“ I admire our charming mistress, 

Dear pussy, she’s our queen, 

But alas ! she will not notice 
Feelings plainly to be seen. 

Oft she sits here — reading — writing — 
If on us she’d cast some looks, 

She might see a sweeter romance 
Than she finds in stupid books.” 

IV. 

Here Miss Pussy interrupted — 

“ Books are stupid, did you say ? 
Why, to all the best-known authors 
You have listened day by day. 

And you dare to call them stupid — 
Ah, what heresy is that ! 

Now my tastes are highly cultured, 
I’m a literary cat ! 

v. 

‘ ‘ I will own, sir, I’ve admired you, 

But your love I must reject, 

What I look for in a husband 
Is majestic intellect.”' 

But the poor dog made no answer 
As the slow hours ticked away — 
She had chilled his love to silence, 
And he speaks not to this day ! 


100 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOOHBEAM; 


“ Thank you,” said Karl politely, when the story was 
finished. “ How well you read !” 

“ Do you think so ?” asked the broom, looking much 
pleased. “Would you like to hear me read something 
else?” 

“ Yes, indeed, anything you like,” exclaimed Karl, who 
was never willing to miss a new story. So the broom 
went on, after listening a moment : 

THE SINGING-SCHOOL. 

Down in the rushes beside the pool 

The frogs were having a singing-school — 

Young frogs, old frogs, tadpoles and all — 

Doing their best at their leader’s call. 

He waved a grass-blade high in the air, 

And cried “ Ker-chunk” — which means “Prepare.” 

But his youngest daughter took up the strain 

And sang “ Ker-chunk” with might and main. 

The others followed as she sang, 

“ Ker-chunk” through all the twilight rang — 

Until their leader so angry grew 

He snapped his grass-blade right in two — 

And cried, “Ker-chunk! ye’re wrong — ye’re wro-o-ong !” 

Which the rest mistook for another song. 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 


101 


Some sang one thing and some another, 

Which made a terrible noise and bother. 

Right in the midst of the singing fray 
Their leader quietly hopped away. 

Splash ! he went, in the midst of the pool, 

And that was the end of the singing-school. 

“ Don’t stop !” cried Karl entreatingly. “ Tell me 
some more stories, Mr. Broom.” 

“ Hark !” exclaimed tlie broom, shaking as he spoke, 
“ hark ! the queen is coming back ! I must be silent.” 

“ Dear me, how afraid he is of the queen !” thought 
Karl. “ I don’t believe she is coming back so soon, and 
if she is, why should you care ?” he said aloud. 

The broom looked more frightened than ever as he 
answered : 

“ You don’t know her as well as I do, or you would 
be frightened too. She’s a tyrant /” and with that word 
he flung down the book, and ran to his corner. 

Karl picked it up and went to his seat near the win- 
dow, where the queen found him sitting when she opened 
the door. She saw the book in his hand and asked him 
immediately : 

“ Where did you get that book ?” 





102 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


“ I picked it up when the parrot-man dropped it, your 
Majesty,” Karl replied, “ and I can’t read a word of it. 
It is so queer, and the letters are not a hit like the letters 
in my books.” 

“ Of course not. That book is the Bug-a-boo language, 
which you are not clever enough to understand,” said 
the queen. 

“But the broom understands it,” replied Karl. At 
these words the broom gave a jump, and fell his full 
length on the floor. The queen started and looked 
around at him. 

“ Have you been talking to Karl ?” she asked. The 
broom kicked, but said nothing. The queen ran across 
the room, took him up, and then shook him violently, 
until the poor broom groaned out : 

“ It was all the fault of the dust-pan. You know she 
won’t let me alone.” 

The queen opened a closet and pushed the broom in, 
then shut and locked the door without a word. Then 
turning to Karl, she said : 

“ The King of Fiddle-ma-ree has arrived, and is in the 
parlor. Would you like to see him ?” 

“ Indeed I would !” exclaimed Karl eagerly. “ May I 
go now ? and will he talk about his country, the lovely 
land of Fiddle-ma-ree?” 


OR, earl’s queer stories. 


103 


“ Perhaps,” said the queen. Ivarl followed her out of 
the kitchen, and into the parlor, where a red-faced little 
man was standing in the middle of the room. He had a 
sword at his side, a gun in one hand, and a cocked hat on 
his head, and he stood as straight and stiff as if lie had 
been only a stick. 

When Karl made him a very polite bow the king said 
in a loud whisper to the queen : 

“ Tell him that’s not the way. Tell him what to 
do.” 

“ His Majesty wants you to turn a somerset when you 
speak to him, Karl,” said the queen. 

“ What, every time ?” asked Karl. 

11 Every time, of course,” answered the king. u Mind 
you don’t forget it again, sir !” 

Karl immediately turned a somerset, which seemed to 
delight the king very much. Seeing that the old fellow 
looked very pleasant now, Karl ventured to say : 

“Would your Majesty please to tell me something 
more about the land of Fiddle-ma-ree ?” 

“ When you ask questions you must turn two somer- 
sets,” the king observed. 

Karl immediately turned two somersets, and then asked 
again : 

“Now will you tell me, your Majesty?” 


304 


THE FAIRY OF TnE MOONBEAM; 


“ When you ask favors you must turn three somersets,’’ 
was all the king said. 

Karl was quite out of patience by this time, but he 
was so anxious to get to the story, which he felt sure the 
king could tell if he chose, that he turned the three 
somersets, and began for the third time : 

“ Make it a long story, your Majesty. I do love stories, 
especially if they are long ones.” 

“ When you ask for long stories yon must turn four 
somersets,” the king said slowly. 

I won't ! I think I’ve done enough now,” cried poor 
Karl in a passion. I have turned somersets until 1 am 
tired, and you just keep on telling me to turn some 
more ! I think it is time you said something else ” 

The king rolled Ins eyes frightfully at this speech, and 
grew redder than ever in the face, but he only said : 

“ When you are rude you must turn ten somersets and 
then apologize” 

u You’re an old goose! that’s what you are,” exclaimed 
Karl, and vexed as he was, he could not help laughing. 
Kut the words were no sooner out of his mouth than the 
king turned to the queen, who had been watching him 
all this time, and said in a frightened voice : 

“ I had better tell him a story. Don't you think 


OR, KARL’S QUEER STORIES. 


105 


66 ^ es > I think it would be better,” replied the queen, 
sitting down on the sofa as she spoke. 

So the king began with, “ Once upon a time—” but 
there he stopped. 

“ I think I would rather sing a song,” he said at last, 
after considering a long time. 

“ Yes, sing a song,” answered the queen ; so he began 
to sing, and this was his song : 

SONG. 


If I were you, and you were she, 

What a comical pair we’d be ! 

W^e could always ride if we never walked, 
And say not a word unless we talked. 

And one could come and one could go 
Whenever we didu’t stand still, you know. 
Chorus. Hity, tity, tumty, tee! 

I’m the King of Fiddle-ma-ree ! 

Fiddle-ma-ree, 

Fiddle-ma-ree, 

For I’m the King of Fiddle-ma-ree ! 

ii. 


But if she w T as I, and I was you, 

There wouldn’t be dinner enough for two! 


106 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


The dog would mew, and the cat would bark, 

The moon and stars would shine in the dark, 

All the rivers would run up hill, 

The man with crutches could never stand still. 

Chorus. Hity, tity, tumty, tee ! 

I’m the King of Fiddle-ma-ree ! 

Fiddle-ma-ree, 

Fiddle-ma-ree, 

For I’m the King of Fiddle-ma-ree ! 

“ Do you like that ?” asked the king, turning to look 
at Karl, who had taken a seat near the queen. 

“ Pretty well,” answered Karl. “ But I should like a 
story better, if your Majesty pleases.” 

“ There you are again !” cried the king suddenly. 
“ Somersets ! somersets ! turn some more of ’em.” 

“ And there you are again ! talking about somersets all 
the time !” said Karl. “ Why don’t you turn some your- 
self, if you’re so fond of them, I’d like to know ?” 

“ Because,” said the king, and he came close up to 
Karl as he spoke, “ because I cannot turn somersets — I’m 
made of wood, you see.” 

u Are you, really ?” inquired Karl, and all at once it 
seemed to him that the king did look just like a wooden 
man. 

“ Why, that’s the reason he cannot' sit down, of course,” 











SO KARL WALKED AROUND TIIE ROOM ON HIS HANDS. — Page 107. 



OR, KARl/S QUEER STORIES. 107 

thought Karl, but he did not say this. He only answered 
very politely : 

“ Then, your Majesty, I am very sorry I said anything 
about it, and if you like, I’ll show you how T we boys 
walk on our hands, with our feet up in the air.” 

“ Will you ?” asked the king, looking much pleased. 
“ That will be very funny, and I shall enjoy it ex- 
tremely.” 

So Karl walked around the room on his hands, two or 
three times, to amuse the king. 

When he was going around for the last time the queen 
opened the door and called out, “ Come in,” and in came 
the funny parrot-man. 

But just at that moment Karl let the little book, which 
he had put into his pocket, fall out on the floor, and in- 
stantly the parrot -man hopped over to him and croaked 
out : 

“ You stole my book, you did !” 

Before Karl could answer this accusation the king 
called hastily : 

“ Somersets ! turn some somersets ! do you hear ?” and 
the parrot-man, trying to obey this order, tumbled head 
over heels and kicked off both his boots. 

Presently he got up, and looking sternly at Karl, com- 
manded : “ Bring my boots !” 


108 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


Karl obeyed him, trying liard not to laugli at tlie par- 
rot-man, and carried the boots to liiin. As lie banded 
liim tlie second one he dropped the book in it, and then 
the poor old fellow could not get his claw in. After a 
good deal of trouble he pulled out the book, and said in 
his hoarse voice : 

“ Why, here is my book after all ! I thought that 
boy had stolen it. How did it get in my boot, I won- 
der?” 

Then turning over the leaves, he said to himself : 
“ Yes, all my stories are here — -here is the affecting poem 
about the quarrel between 4 Poker and Tongs,’ and the 
wonderful history of 4 The Blue Calf,’ and ‘ The Amusing 
Adventures of Chow-chow and Choo-clioo,’ and all the 
rest.” 

But by this time Karl’s curiosity was fully excited, and 
he interrupted the parrot-man by saying : 

“ Oh, couldn't you read me one of your stories, Mr. 
Parrot, just one ? “ I know they must be nice stories, 

and I should be so much obliged to you.” 

“Which would you like to hear?” asked the parrot. 

Karl thought for a few moments, and then said : 

“ I believe I should like to hear ‘ The Amusing Ad- 
ventures of Chow-chow and Choo-clioo ’ first.” 

“ And you promise not to laugh ?” 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 


109 


“ Why, how can I help it, if it is amusing, Mr. Parrot ?” 
asked Karl. 

“ But you must help it, you know,” said the parrot. 
“I never allow any laughing at my stories; it isn’t 
polite.” 

“Well, then, I won't laugh, Mr. Parrot,” promised 
Karl, and the parrot-man opened his hook with his claw 
(for he had not put on his boor yet) and began to turn 
over the leaves. Finally he found the place, and said : 

“ Now listen, all of you, and don’t laugh.” 

CHOW-CHOW AND CHOO-CHOO. 

i. 

Mr. Chow-chow went a walking 
With his parasol over his head, 

With a little blue button atop of his hat, 

And his pigtail downward spread — 

And 11 Chin-chin-chin-chin ,” 

Was all that Chow-chow said. 


Miss Choo-choo sat in her parlor, 

She couldn’t walk at all, 

Because her poor feet had been pinched so much 
They were altogether too small — 

“ Chin-chin-chin-chin ,” 

Said Choo-choo, “ I’m sure to fall.” 


110 


THE FAIRY OE THE MOONBEAM 


III. 

Mr. Chow-chow went to a party, 
And he met Miss Choo-choo there — 
1 1 Iliyah ! maskee ! she xelly plopper, ” 
Said Chow-chow with a stare. 

“ My sohhy you olo Canton ,” 

Lovely Choo-choo made reply ; 

“Hi, chin-chin, Mr. Chow-chow ,” 

As she poked her fan in his eye. 

IY. 

So then the conversation 
Went on in the best Chinese — 

“ Sposy ketchywifee bumby .” 

* ‘ Me tinkee you xelly please 
‘ ‘ You give my muchee dressee ? ” 

“ Maslcee! no wanchy one ting.” 

And on Choo-choo’s lovely finger 
Mr. Chow-chow put a ring. 


So Chow-chow married Choo-choo ; 

“ My sobby he xelly fine,” 

Said all the folks at the wedding, 

For he gave them plum-cake and wine. 
‘ ‘ Bumby ketchy cargo pigeon, 

Littee chow-chow ching to-day, 

Take care my! chin-chin too much!” 

And the company went away. 








AND ON CHOO-CHOO’S LOVELY FINGER 


MR. CHOW-CHOW PUT A RING. — Page 110. 









































































y 



























OR, karl’s queer stories. 


Ill 


Just liere the parrot stopped, and looked at Karl. 

“ Did you laugh ?” he inquired anxiously. 

“ No, certainly not; didn’t you make me promise not 
to laugh ?” answered Karl. 

The parrot looked around at the king and queen, 
and said in a disappointed tone : 

“ That is one of my yery funniest pieces, you know. 
Perhaps I had better try him with a sad story now.” 

“ But is that the end of Chow-chow and Choo-choo ? 
I thought you called it the history of their amusing ad- 
ventures, Mr. Parrot, and I’m sure you didn’t tell any of 
their adventures, after all,” exclaimed Karl. 

The parrot only looked wise at this, and made no 
answer. 

Presently the king said: “Well, read us something 
sad — perhaps that will make us cry.” 

“ But you must promise not to cry,” said the parrot 
earnestly : “ I don’t like to see any one cry over my 
stories ; it isn’t polite.” 

“Well, then, we all agree not to cry, if you will only 
go on,” said Karl impatiently, and at last the parrot 
opened his book again and read : 


112 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


THE STORY OF POKER AND TONGS. 


i. 


Said Poker to Tongs : 

“ Let me tell you my wrongs — 

I’ve only one leg — you have two /” 
Said Tongs then to Poker : 

“You cross-grained old croaker, 
What use would two legs be to you?” 


“ Tongs pick up the coals!” 

“ Pokers punch the best holes!” 

Bawled one, and then answered the other ; 
In the midst of the rout 
The fire went out, 

Not liking to hear such a bother. 


m. 

Then loudly both cried: 

“ Let Shovel decide!” 

So Shovel jumped up with such clatter, 
She knocked them both down, 

Then exclaimed with a frown : 

“I’d like to know what is the matter!” 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 

IV. 

So there lay the three — 

’Twas affecting to see — 

All making the ugliest faces! 

When, alarmed by the din, 

Their mistress came in, 

And put them all back in their places. 

v. 

But the tongs is still mad, 

And the poker is sad 

When he views the two legs of his brother; 

While the shovel declares 
Each gives himself airs, 

And she wrangles with one and the other. 

When lie had finished, the parrot looked at Karl and 
asked as anxiously as before : 

“ Did you cry ?” 

“Cry! no, indeed! there was nothing to cry about,” 
said Karl, smiling. 

“ And yet that was one of my saddest stories,” said 
the poor parrot, looking quite discouraged. “If that 
didn’t make you cry, I don’t know what would affect 
you.” 

Before Karl could say anything more, a very loud 
noise was heard outside, and the queen (who had been 




114 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


quietly taking a nap since the reading began) sprang up 
at once, exclaiming: 

“ Hark ! that is the signal — the next race is about to 
begin — let us go !” 

So saying, she ran from the room, and was followed 
by the parrot-man, leaving Karl and the king alone. 
Presently the king asked : 

“ Don’t you want to go to the race ?” 

“I don’t know,” replied Karl. “ I saw one wdien I ar- 
rived, and I didn’t think it very funny. In fact, it was 
quite tiresome,” 

“ Still, we really ought to go. It is only polite, since 
the queen is going to ride,” said the king. “ Come, or 
we shall be too late to see them.” 

Karl went rather unwillingly, for he wanted to make 
the king tell him another story. When they got to the 
steps the king stopped, and said : 

“ Would you mind carrying me down these steps?” 
“You see I can’t get up and down steps, being made of 
wood, and not having any joints in my knees.” 

“ Certainly,” said Karl. “ I will carry your Majesty 
with the greatest pleasure. But don’t you find it very 
tiresome not to be able to sit down ?” 

“ Indeed I do,” answered the poor king, with a sigh, 
as Karl took him up in his arms, “ Very tiresome, but 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 115 

wliat am J to do? What would you do if you hadn’t any 
joints ?” 

“ I can’t imagine,” said Karl. “ But I am sure I 
should feel very sad,” and by this time they had reached 
the field where the races took place. 

All the old women were there with their brooms again, 
and the parrot-man on his platform was calling in his 
hoarse voice: 

“ Let the race begin !” 

“ Put me down ! put me down ! cried the king to Karl, 
who was still carrying him very carefully, but before he 
could do it there was a loud shout from the old women. 
They all came rushing wildly that way, and getting 
around Karl began to roar; “ Look ! look ! he has stolen 
the King of Fiddle-ma-ree ! he is running away with him ! 
Stop the thief !” and in a moment poor Karl found liim- 
seif tightly held by a dozen hands, while the shouts of 

Thief ! thief T grew louder and louder. 

“It isn’t true! it isn't true!” he screamed at last, 
when he could get a chance to speak. “ The king asked 
me to carry him, and I was just going to put him down 
when you. rushed at me.” 

“Konsense and fiddlestick!” bawled one of the old 
women at this. The king ask any one to carry him! 
We know better than that.” 


116 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOOHBEAM; 


“ Of course we do,” yelled another. “ You were trj 
ing to steal him — now confess you were, and we won’t 
punish you.” 

“ Confess, confess !” cried all the rest. 

“ But I have nothing to confess,” exclaimed Karl, 
beginning to feel provoked. “ I meant no harm, as the 
king can tell you, and I have no more to say,” and he 
looked around for the king, but he was nowhere to be 
seen. 

“ What shall we do with this thief,, sisters ?” asked the 
old woman who had spoken first. 

“ You cannot do anything with me ! I am not a thief, 

* 

and I want the queen — she knows me, and will help 
me!” cried Karl. “ Where is the queen, I say?” 

But the King of Fiddle-ma-ree and the Queen of 
Queerland had vanished altogether, and the old women 
still held Karl tightly, as if determined ' he should not 
escape. 

All this time the parrot-man had been standing on his 
platform, calling : “ Let the race begin !” and now he 
came hopping down, and inquired : 

“ What does this mean ?” 

“ Why, all these absurd old women say I have been 
stealing” said Karl. 

“Stealing what?” asked the parrot-man. 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 


117 


“The King of Fiddle-ma-ree,” Karl answered, and im- 
mediately tlie parrot looked very stern and said : 

“ You’ve keen stealing the king, have you? Very 
well, now what have you done w T ith him ? where is he ?” 

“I don’t know anything about the king, I tell you,” 
said Karl impatiently. “It’s perfectly ridiculous, this 1 
talk about stealing him, and I won’t listen to any more 
of it !” 

But the parrot looked very wise and said in a solemn 
tone : 

“Wait a moment. You must answer my questions. 
Did you touch the king?” 

“Yes, I did. I brought him out to see the races,” 
said Karl. 

“You mean you carried him?” asked the parrot. 
“Who told you you might carry the king?” 

“ He did. He asked me to marry him,” replied Karl. 

“ Then if you brought him out here to see the races, 
and have not stolen him, he ought to be here now,” said 
the parrot. “ But where is the king ? Of course if ho 
can’t be found, you must have stolen him, and I advise 
you to confess at once. Come, be a good boy and tell 
where you have put him.” 

“ Confess ! confess !” screamed all the old women. 

“You’re the silliest, stupidest people I ever saw,” 


118 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


exclaimed Karl. “ Just wait till I can find tlie queen ! 
that’s all.” 

Tlie parrot shook his head with a dismal groan at this, 
and croaked : 

“ Obstinate ! and impolite ! and guilty ! not a doubt 
•about it. Put him in prison.” 

“ One moment ! wait one moment !” cried Karl, as the 
old woman seized him again. “ Grant me one favor, Mr 
Parrot, I beg of you — please let me hear one more of your 
lovely stories before I go to prison.” . For he said to him- 
self : “ I know I can get away from these horrid old 
women if I can have a little more time.” 

The parrot looked much gratified at this request, and 
answered very politely : 

“ You must be a sensible boy or you would not be so 
fond of my stories. You shall have one, of course. 
Which do you prefer — the sad stories, or the funny ones ? 

“ Whichever you please ; Mr Parrot ; I shall be quite 
satisfied with your choice,” said Karl politely, and the par- 
rot, taking up his book said : 

“ Sit down all of you, while I read him a story.” 

So the old women sat down in a circle, keeping Karl in 
the middle, and all listened while the parrot read 





THREE WISE WOMEN WERE THEY.— Page 119. 



THEY WERE TOQ FRIGHTENED TO STAY ON THE GROUND. — Page 110. 


























































































































































t 
























- 






, 




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•- 
































































‘I 




























































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Y 

























AND BLEW THEIR LADDER RIGHT OUT TO SEA. — Page 119. 





m 


* 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 


119 


THE THREE WISE WOMEN. 


I. 

Three wise old women were they, were they, 

Who went to walk on a winter day : 

One carried a basket to hold some berries, 

One carried a ladder to climb for cherries, 

The third, and* she was the wisest one, 

Carried a fan to keep, off the sun ! 

ii. 

But they went so far, and they went so fast, 

They quite forgot their w r ay at last — 

So one of the wise women cried in a fright: 

“ Suppose we should meet a tear to-night! 

Suppose he should eat me !” “ And me /” “ And me !” 

u What is to be done?” cried all the three. 

in. 

“ Dear, dear!” said one, u we’ll climb a tree, 

There out of the way of bear£ we’ll be.” 

But there wasn’t a tree for miles around, 

They were too frightened to stay on the ground, 

So they climbed their ladder, up to the top, 

And sat there, screaming, “ We’ll drop! we’ll drop!” 

iv. 

But the wind was strong as wind could be, 

And blew their ladder right out to sea! 


120 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOOK BEAM, 


So the three wise women were all afloat 
In a leaky ladder instead of a boat ! 

And every time the waves rolled in, 

Of course the poor things were wet to the skin. 

t * ' ' ’ 

Y. 

Then they took their basket, the water to bale, 

They put up their fan instead of a sail, 

But what became of the wise women then — 

Whether they ever sailed home again — 

Whether they saw any bears or no — 

You must find out, for I don’t know. 

The moment this story was finished all the old women 
who were watching Karl began to look very angry, and 
to say to each other : 

“ He meant youP 

“No, he meant you. I saw him look at you.” 

“ I know better. It was you, I say •!” until they almost 
forgot Karl in their dispute. Seeing this, he whispered 
to the parrot : 

r Oh, please tell them another story, Mr. Parrot.” 

“ What shall it be ?” asked the parrot. “ Shall I tell 
them about the three wise men now ?” 

“ Yes, yes, do,” said Karl. So the parrot called out in 
his hoarse voice : 

“Listen, all of you, to an account of the three wise 
men !” 


LEAK V LADDER INSTEAD OF A BOAT. — Page 120. 











OR, karl’s queer stories. 


121 


The old women stopped quarrelling the moment this 
was said, and the parrot was just about to begin when 
Karl whispered : 

“ Make it as long as you can, Mr. Parrot.” 

“ My stories cannot be altered to suit any one,” said the 
parrot, with much dignity. “They are just the right 
length now.” 

“ I hope you will excuse me — ” began Karl, but the * 
parrot interrupted him. He asked suddenly : 

“ Are you a critic ?” 

“Why, no, I suppose not. Of course not,” answered 
Karl, after thinking. “ But if I was a critic, what then ?” 
he inquired. 

“ You would be sent home at once. Critics are never 
allowed in the moon. They do too much mischief,” 
answered the parrot severely. 

Karl was just going to ask why, but the old women 
called out : “ The story ! the story !” and so the parrot 
recited 

THE THREE WISE MEN. 


i. 

Three wise old men were they, were they, 

Who went to catch whales on a summer day. 
One carried a gun that did nothing but snap — 
One carried a club and a cricket-cap — 


122 THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 

Tlie third, and he was the greatest fool, 

Would wear his ulster to keep him cool. 

ii. 

They sailed and sailed till they came at last 
To a monstrous whale in the ice made fast — 

Then the hunter began his gun to snap, 

The club-man tossed up his cricket-cap, 

While the man in the ulster smiled as he cried : 

“ Under my coat I mean to hide !” 

hi. 

But alas ! his voice had frightened the whale — 

Flop ! went the creature’s terrible tail ! 

It scattered the wise men far and wide — • 

With the fall and the fright they must have died, 

But the three wise women appeared just then, 

And ran to rescue the helpless men. 

IV. 

Into the basket the hunter crept — 

Up the ladder the club-man stepped — 

The man in the ulster smiled and said : 
u Hold your fan, please, over my head.” 

So back to their homes the travellers went, 

With these adventures well content. 

“ A very good story !” shouted one of tlie old women, 
and all the others clapped their hands. 














































































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Page 133. 





Oil, karl’s queer stories. 


123 


The parrot looked much gratihed, and observed : 

“ Perhaps you would like to hear the rest of this story, 
my friends. The next part relates to the adventures of 
the three wise women after they were married.” 

“ Yes, yes, tell us about them,” cried all the old women, 
and so the parrot went on : 

THE THREE WISE COUPLES. 


i. 

Three wise couples old were they, were they, 

Who went to keep house together one day. 

Upstairs and downstairs one couple ran, 

He with his ulster, she with her fan ; 

“Fresh air!” quoth the wife, “is the thing for me.” 
“ Shut the windows! I’m freezing!” cried he. 

n. 

The second couple, with basket and gun, 

Went hunting for spiders one by one. 

Into the corners they poked and pried — 

“Here’s one! I’ll shoot him !” the husband cried; 
While his wife exclaimed : “When the basket’s full 
We can use the spiders’ webs for wool.” 

iii. 

But the wisest couple of all the three 
Said : “ We will a travelling circus be.” 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


124 


“ You,” said the wife, “ the bear must play, 

Up on the ladder you ought to stay, 

And I’ll carry the club, because, you know, 

I’ll have to beat you, your tricks to show.” 

IV. 

So the man in the ulster was frozen stiff, 

While his wife did nothing but fan and sniff. 
The hunter was stung by a cross old spider, 

As he very imprudently sat down beside her, 
And his wife, who was gathering webs for wool, 
Used him to make up a basket full. 


V. 

But the man who learned the bear to play 
Lived on the ladder for many a day ; 

He stole the club and he wouldn’t come down, 

So his poor wife carried him through the town, 

And all the people said : ' “ Let’s go 
To see the bear and the circus show !” 

Karl liad been waiting for the end of this story to 
make his escape. While the old women were clapping 
their hands and laughing, he sprang up and ran as fast 
as he could go, jumping over one or two who were sit- 
ting on the ground, but never turning to look behind 
him. 

On and on he ran, when all at once he tumbled rig] it 







Page 124. 


♦ 










OR, KARl/S QUEER STORIES. 


125 


against the Queen of Queerland, wlio was coining slowly 
along, leading the King of Fiddle-ma-ree by the arm. 

“ Oh ! your Majesty ! why, where did you go, and 
why did you leave me ?” asked Karl. “ Those . dreadful 
old women wanted to put me in prison for stealing the 
king, but I ran away from them.” 

“It was your own fault,” said the queen. “When 
you carried the king you struck his head against a post 
and cracked it, so I was obliged to run off with him and 
get the poor thing mended as soon as possible. But 1 
was coming back again, if you had waited.” 

“ And how is his head now ?” inquired Karl, looking 
at the king, who had not spoken yet, but was leaning 
against the queen. 

“ Oh, he will soon be all right again,” she replied. 
u A great many people are cracked, you know, but they 
get on just as well, and no one ever suspects it.” 

“ Dear me !” was all Karl said, so they walked on for 
few moments in silence. 

Presently the queen exclaimed : 

“ My brother ! my brother is coming !” and Karl saw 
most comical looking old fellow advancing towards 
them. His face was so brown and wrinkled that it 
looked like a large hickory nut, and when he took off his 
hat and began to bow, Karl thought he had never seen 


126 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


anything so absurd, for he had not a particle of hair on 
his head. 

“ There !” said the queen, looking at Karl, “ I told 
you that my brother was funny, and you see I was 
right. You cannot look at him without laughing, can 
you ?” 

“H — no, ma’am,” answered he, trying not to laugh 
as he spoke. 

“ Come here, and be introduced,” said the queen, tak- 
ing Karl by the hand, and leading him up to her brother. 

“ The queen’s brother, Karl, the queen’s brother,” she 
said. 

Karl made his best bow, but before he could speak the 
King of Fiddle-ma-ree shouted : 

“ Somersets ! turn somersets, all of you !” 

The queen’s brother turned a somerset, and so did 
Karl ; then they stood and stared at each other without 
a word. 

Presently the queen’s brother asked solemnly : 

“ Had any comets here lately ?” 

“ Of course not,” said the queen, frowning. 

The queen’s brother looked disappointed, and mut- 
tered : “ Hever mind, you’ll catch one before long.” 

“ What does he mean ?” asked Karl, whispering to the 
queen. 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 


127 


“ It’s his way,” slie said crossly. “ He always asks if 
a comet has been here, because he says we shall have a 
collision wdtli one some day. But I’m not afraid of a 
comet !” she added, as she looked at the sky. 

“ But did a comet ever strike the moon?” inquired 
Karl anxiously. 

“ Never ! and never will, either,” said the queen. 
“ I’ve made a law forbidding them, and if one should 
dare to strike the moon I — I’d — I’d cut off his tail !” 

“ Pooh ! what good could your law do if a comet 
should come whizzing along ?” asked the queen’s brother. 

“ You’re very disagreeable !” said the queen, walking 
off a few steps. But Karl ran after her and begged : 

“ Won’t you ask your brother to tell me a story, your 
Majesty ?” 

“ Ask him yourself,” answered the queen. 

“ What shall I call him ? said Karl. 

“Call him? Why, the queen’s brother, of course. 
That is his name,” replied the queen. 

So Karl said very politely: “Will you please to tell 
me one of your funny stories, the queen’s brother ?” 

The queen’s brother rolled his eyes, nodded his head, 
and puckered his brown face, without saying a single 
word, until Karl found it impossible not to laugh at him 
again. 


128 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


“ Hush !” said the queen, “ hush ! he is getting ready 
to speak now.” 

“ Sit down,” said her brother at last ; “ sit down, and I 
will tell you about a hoy who bit the moon.” 

“ That’s nonsense !” exclaimed the queen ; “he couldn’t 
do it, you know.” 

“ Sit down and hear the story,” said her brother. “It 
is a very interesting story.” 

“ He only tells it to tease me ,” said the queen, sitting 
down. Karl took his seat beside her, but the poor King 
of Fiddle-ma-ree couldn’t sit down. lie had to lean 
against a tree, while the queen’s brother began in a gruff 
voice the story of 

DICK’S SUPPER. 


i. 

Dick looked out of the window one night, 
The moon shone bright, 

The round full moon, so silvery white. 

“ See !” cried Dick “ it looks so sweet 
I’m sure it must be good to eat — 

Suppose I take it down to-night, 

Just for a treat, 

And try one little, little bite !” 




t 




or, Karl’s queer stories. 


ii. 

Then Dick climbe_ up on the chimney — so — 
The moon hung low, 

Bright as silver and pure as snow ; 

He snatched it quickly and cried: “ Ho! ho! 
It makes me think of my birthday cake, 

All covered with sugar — a bite I’ll take, 

Just one, and nobody’ll know!” 

• 

hi. 

But Dicky’s mouth was, oh ! so wide, 

That the moon had nearly slipped inside ; 

He took a monstrous bite, as you see ; 

But it wasn’t nice, 

It was colder than ice, 

And it made his tooth ache terribly. 


“Oh, dear! oh, dear!” he began to cry; 

“ I wouldn’t have the thing, not I!” 

Quickly he hung it again in the sky, 

Slid down the chimney and went to bed, 

Then under the bed-clothes he tucked his head. 
“ For I know,” so he said, 

“ If any one thought I’d bitten the moon, 

I’d be whipped very soon !” 


130 


THE FAIKY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


V. 

But the folks who looked out of their windows then, 
Both women and men, 

Cried : “ Look at the moon ! 

It has changed too soon; 

When did it get so small — oh, when?” 

And everybody ran out in a fright 
To stare at the bitten moon that night. 


Wise men brought out their telescopes too, 

Old folks their spectacles — no one knew 
What to say or what to do. 

“Ask the almanac-makers!” cried one; 

“ They know everything under the sun!” 

But the almanac-makers were quite perplexed, 
So they ran to the clerk of the weather next — 
Ah, you ought to have seen them run ! 

VII. 

Now, the clerk of the weather lived all alone 
In a house that was neither of wood nor stone 
It had clouds for curtains, and rainbows bright, 
Instead of candles, to make it light, 

And the pantry shelves were full of jars 
Where he kept the snow, the rain, and the stars, 
While under the shelves were packed away 
Some strong new winds for a stormy day. 




the little old man said, 

I CAN MAKE YOUR WEATHER 



DEAR, OH DEAR ! 

STORMY OR CLEAR.”— Page 131. 








OR, earl’s queer stories. 


131 


VIII. 

The little old man rushed out to see 
What on earth could the matter be ! 

For the people came with shout and roar, 
Thumping and pounding at his door, 

Calling loudly : “ Come out and, tell 
What ails our moon ? You know very well.” 
And sure enough, the moon he saw 
Was scooped out like a shell! 


The little old man said: “Dear, oh, dear! 
I can make your weather, stormy or clear, 
Get up your breezes, high or low, 

Give you plenty of ice and snow, 

Make it as. hot as you had it last year; 

But as for this moon — why, friends, I fear 
You have asked me more than I know.” 


x. 

Now, all this time, poor Dicky was lying 
Safe tucked up in his little bed, 

And though the toothache kept him crying, 
Never a single word he said, 

Never told what a monstrous bite 
He’d taken out of the moon that night, 

So no one ever guessed or knew 
(Excepting Dicky, and me and you) 

Who gave the folks such a terrible fright. 


132 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


“ I Like that story,” said Karl. 

“/ don’t,” snapped the queen “Nobody can ever 
take a bite out of the moon. It’s absurd.” 

“ If a comet should come along — ” said the queen’s 
brother, but just at that moment a loud hissing noise was 
heard over their heads, and something came bump right 
beside Karl. He jumped up in a fright, but the queen’s 
brother said coolly : 

“A comet! / told you so,” while the queen shut her 
eyes and pretended to be asleep. 

“Was that a comet? Where did it go? Oh! I wish 
I had seen it,” exclaimed Karl. 

“ You couldn’t see it, because it was going so fast,” 
said the queen’s brother. 

“ It wasn’t a comet at all,” said the queen, more crossly 
than ever ; “ it was only one of his jokes,” she added, 
turning to Karl. 

The queen’s brother was beginning to be very angry 
at this, but Karl said in a coaxing way : 

“ Won’t you tell me another story, if you please?” and 
at once he nodded his head, rolled his eyes, and began in 
his gruff, rough voice : 

“Would you like to hear about the Bear that — ” when 
he suddenly stopped to listen and ask : 

“ There’s another comet ! don’t you hear it ?” 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 


133 


“No, I don’t, and yon don’t either,” said the queen, 
looking very angry, “and if you don’t stop talking 
about comets I’ll tell them all what your head is 
made of.” 

“ No — no — no ! you mustn’t tell that , .you really must 
not !” cried the poor old fellow, and he made such horrid 
faces that he was more laughable than ever. 

“ Well, you stop speaking about comets then, and I’ll 
keep your secret,” replied his sister. “Do you prom- 
ise ?” 

“Yes, yes, I promise! I’ll promise anything you 
ask,” said the queen’s brother. “ I’ll do anything you 
like,” he went on, pointing at Karl, “ only don't let him 
know that my head is made of a walnut !” 

“ There !” cried the queen, “ you’ve told it yourself !” 

“ A walnut ! is your head made of a walnut ?” ques- 
tioned Karl in astonishment. 

The queen’s brother nodded without speaking, while 
the queen said sharply : 

“ I knew he couldn’t keep a secret.” 

“ But you haven’t told the story of the bear yet, you 
know,” added Karl, who felt very sorry for the queen’s 
brother. 

So he began at once, without looking at the queen : 


134 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


THE BEAR WHO LOVED COMPANY. 


Far, far away, in a lonely wood, 

Lived two little bears, so playful and good, 

So sweet and kind, 

That you couldn’t find 

Any nicer bears, if you searched where you would. 


ii. 

Bryn, for that was the oldest one, 

Went out one day with his little gun, 

For birds or rabbits or squirrels to look, 

While Bruin stayed at home to cook; 

And you should have seen them every night, 

Sitting down side by side to dine, 

Just like gentlemen — so polite, 

While Bruin carved, and Bryn poured the wine ! 

hi. 

They never grumbled, or fretted, or teased, 

They always said “ Thank you” and “If you please,” 
They kept their paws and their faces clean, 

Two lovelier bears were never seen. 

But alas ! one winter morning, when Bryn, 

Cold and hungry, came running in, 

He found that the kitchen fire was out, 

The breakfast dishes all scattered about, 


OR, earl’s queer stories. 


And looking into one corner he found 
Bruin curled up in a heap on the ground, 

Too sulky to make a single sound ! 

IV. 

‘ Dear, dear!” said Bryn, “What can be the matter ? 
Why, here’s a spoon and there’s a platter ! 

Are you sick, my Bruin? Come, go to bed; 

I’ll hold your paw and bathe your head, 

Some gruel I’ll make, 

Some jam you must take, 

And, brother dear, I’ll be cook in your stead.” 


v. 

Then all at once the truth came out ; 

Bruin sat up and wiped his eyes — 

‘ I’m tired of cooking,’’ said he with a pout, 
‘ Tired of making cakes and pies — 

Tired of seeing our table spread — 

Tired of dusting and making the bed — 
Tired of everything I do — 

Bryn, I must try something new! 

I think I’ll travel, if you don’t mind ; 
Perhaps I’ll be lucky enough to find 
Some real nice children — how glad I’d be ! 
For children are what I want to see.” 

VI. 

‘Bruin, you wouldn’t like girls and boys,” 
Said Bryn — “they romp and make a noise, 


136 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


They quarrel and fight, 

They scratch and bite, 

They often forget to be polite — 

Why, I’ve heard our Uncle Growler say 
That sometimes their parents they don’t obey I” 

VII. 

But Bruin had made up his mind to go. 

When poor Bryn cried he only said: “Pho! 

I shall come back again, I know.” 

So he started that night — 

The moon shone bright, 

And he trotted along in its silvery light, 

Grinning and chuckling, as if to say : 

“ Here’s the traveller on his way !” 

VIII. 

Bruin had walked five miles or more, 

When a house he saw, 

A little house, one story high, 

Standing alone, no other was nigh. 

He stopped and listened * * * “Ha! ha!” he cried, 

“I hear the children’s voices inside ; 

The little dears! I know what I'll do — 

Pll go in and play with them too.” 


j IX. 

So Mr. Bruin -walked up to the door, 

Peeped through the crack, and there he saw 
Two girls and two boys — that just makes four — 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 


137 


Sitting around the fire together, 

Quite forgetting the wintry weather 

And the cold outside, they were so engrossed 

With their nuts to crack and apples to roast. 

x. 

I 

Delighted Bruin raised up his paw 
And rapped on the door, 

Growled a little, then rapped some more — 
But oh! what a hubbub at once began! 

How the children screamed and ran, 

Some under the table, some over a chair — 

While Bruin laughed — the foolish bearl 

Saying: “ These are nice children, I declare! 

See how they hurry 

And skurry and worry 

To let me in — why, it isn’t fair, 

My dears, to put you in such a flurry, 

Because if the door is locked, you see, 

The window is wide enough for me.” 


XI. 

Then he tried the window, but that too was fast, 
So up on the roof Bruin climbed at last. 

“I suppose,” said he, 

11 There’s no opening for me ; 

I’ll try this chimney, and then we’ll see.” 

And almost before the children knew 
The bear was scrambling down the flue ! 


138 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


XII. 

Down ! down ! down ! lie came — 

Right in the mic^st of smoke and flame — 
Rubbed the cinders out of his eyes — 

Looked about him with wild surprise — 

For out of the door, 

With shriek and roar, 

The children had fled when Bruin they saw ! 
Never waited for “ How do you do?” 

And drawn the bolts behind them too ! 

XIII. 

Well, Bruin was mad, as you may guess, 

So he rushed about, 

Crying: “ Children are hateful, I confess. 
How shall I get out? 

Ungrateful creatures! they wouldn’t stay 
For a little play 
Or a romp — not they ! 

Just fastened me in and ran away. 

Ho ! ho ! I’ll have my revenge one day !” 

Then growling, he tried the door again, 

Till at last it yielded to the strain, 

And bolts and hinges snapped in twain. 

XIV. 

Bruin was free — not a moment too soon, 

For plainly he saw, by the light of the moon, 




































-* 


































































































































































I’TX NEVER LEAVE YOU AOATN, RRYN BEAR.”— Page 130. 




















OR, karl’s queer stories. 


139 


Some men with a gun. 

He started to run — 

The men followed fast, the chase had besrun. 

Came a flash — then a bang — 

And away Bruin sprang 

With a ball in his foot, in his heart a fierce pang. 

XY. 

When the poor little bear reached home once more, 
Bryn hugged and kissed him, and poulticed his paw, 
Made some owl-soup, for a birthday treat, 

Fed him with all things dainty and sweet, 

Petted and tended him night and day, 

Till Bruin, repentant, could but say: 

“I’ll never leave you again, Bryn dear; 

I find I’m safest and happiest here !” 

XVI. 

Now, when he hears a young bear say : 

“ 1 want to see the world some day,” 

Bruin just sighs, 

Rolls up his eyes, 

Holds up his paw and growls : “You see ! 

I’m lame — let this a warning be — 

It came from keeping lad company /” 


The queens’ brother stopped and looked around. The 
queen had fallen asleep, the king appeared to be think- 


140 


THE FAIRY 01' THE MOONBEAM; 


ing deeply, but Karl was quite wide awake aud listening. 

“ Thank you very much,” he said now, seeing that the 
queen’s brother was waiting for some remarks on his 
story. “ Thank you very much, but — but — ” 

“ But what ?” asked the queen’s brother gruffly. 

“ I meant that I would like to hear one of your funny 
stories, if you please,” replied Karl. 

“ Some people never are satisfied,” grunted the queen’s 
brother. 

“ What is the matter now ?” asked the queen, waking 
up very suddenly and looking very cross. 

“ This stupid boy don’t like my story — ” said her 
brother, nodding at Karl as he spoke. 

“ What do you mean by finding fault?” the queen 
began, in a rage, but the king of Fiddle-ma-ree inter- 
rupted her. He shouted suddenly at the top of his 
voice : 

“ Somersets! turn somersets, all of you!” and the 
queen was so startled by his loud shout that she actually 
turned a somerset herself, and tumbled head over heels 
in doing it. 

Karl ran to pick her up, and as soon as she was on her 
feet again she began to scold the king, who looked very 
much frightened, but spoke not a word. 

“ He ought to be punished,” she said to Karl, pointing 


OR, earl’s queer stories. 


141 


at tlie king, “he really ought to be punished. What 
shall we do with him ?” 

“ Oh, make him tell a story, a long story, your Maj- 
esty,” said Karl eagerly. 

“ Yes,” exclaimed the queen’s brother, “ yes, that is a 
a good idea. Let him tell a story, by all means.” 

“ You hear ? Go on,” said the queen, in a sulky voice, 
to the king. 

“ I must have a little time,” pleaded the king, “ I must 
have time to think, you know.” 

“You’ve had time enough,” snapped the queen, so the 
king began : 

i. 

Flippity-flop and Hippity-hop 

Were grasshoppers brave and bold — 

One was brown with a yellowish top, 

And one was green and gold — 

One could sing for an hour without stop, 

And one had a terrible cold. 


n. 

Flippity aanced on the lawn all day 
In his suit of brown and yellow — 
Hippity sang him a roundelay, 

Though his voice was far from mellow — 
For one was always blithe and gay, 

And one was a merry fellow. 


142 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


III. 

Now Flippity’s pinned in a tall glass case, 

And he looks all withered and dry ! 

Poor Hippity lost a leg in a race, 

And hopped in a corner to die — 

But the whereabouts of his resting place 
You couldn’t tell — no, nor I. 

“ How does that story suit you ?” asked the king. 

“ W ell, that isn’t the kind of a story I wanted,” said 
Karl, as the king looked at him for an answer. “ I would 
prefer — ” 

“ Fault-finding again !” interrupted the queen’s brother, 
scowling at him. 

“ He ought to be shut up ! he’s a very unreasonable 
boy !” exclaimed the queen, getting angry. 

Let him turn somersets to punish him,” suggested 
the king. 

“No, no, let him tell a story to us,” said the queen’s 
brother. “ Then we’ll see what he means by finding- 
fault with our stories.” 

“ But I don’t know a story, indeed I don’t !” began 
Karl, in a frightened voice. 

“Never mind, tell one you don’t know,” said the 
queen, and the others all said, “Yes, yes, that will do” 

All at once it seemed to Karl as if a story came ‘Into 


oit, karl’s queer stories. 


148 


his head, and he began, without waiting for anything 
more to be said to him — 

THE KING’S TASTER. 

i. 

Once on a time— as the storybooks say — 

There lived in a country far away 
A droll young fellow, called Peter the Gay, 

A cobbler by trade, 

Though so little he made 
That he couldn’t afford to dine every day. 


Poor Peter’s fortunes grew worse and worse, 
His stomach was empty, so was his purse; 

“ Since cobbling don’t pay, 

I must find some new way 
Of earning my living,” said Peter the Gay — 

“ And I’ve thought of a plan!” — 

To the palace he ran, 

And asked for the king, on the very same day. 
Then he fell on his knees — 

“If your Majesty please, 

A little petition I’ve ventured to bring; 

For your Majesty’s good, 

It must be understood, 

As well as my own — ” 


144 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


“ Say on!” quoth the king. 
“ Well, this is the thing, 

And I hope you’ll agree — 

Your Majesty’s taster I’m willing to be — 

Each dish on your table shall first come to me ; 

If the soup is too cold, 

If the fish is too old, 

If the oil in the salad is scantily doled, 

I could tell you the truth in a moment, you see !” 
“ I perceive,” said the king. 

“ Then what do you say 

To making me Taster?” cried Peter the Gay. 


hi. 

“ It is done!” spake the king, 

“Put on this rich robe — accept this big ring, 

I appoint you hereby, 

Royal Taster, to try 
Each dish ’ere ’tis served — ” 

“ Oh, you may rely 
You won’t have a more faithful servant than I — 
For by night and by day 
I’ll be at my post,” laughed Teter the Gay. 


IY. 

In the Royal Kitchen a chair was placed 
Where Peter might sit at his ease and taste, 


145 


OR, KARL’S QUEER STORIES. 

With a spoon at his side 
And a table before — 

“Bring on your dishes!” he loudly cried, 

“Bring more, bring more!” 

And he brandished his spoon with joy and pride; 
“For none shall say 

That I failed im my duty !” cried Peter the Gay. 


y. 

Well! the years slipped away 
While Peter the Gay 

Went on with his tasting by night and by day. 
And he grew such a size 
You could scarce sec his eyes, 

For his great puffy cheeks were right in the way. 
When he walked he would wheeze, 

When he sat he’d no ease, 

For racking dyspepsia had made him a prey, 
And all the folks said, 

With a shake of the head: — 

“This is Peter the Surly, not Peter the Gay!” 


VI. 

At last one sad day 

When the cook chanced to stay 

Too long at the market, poor Peter the Gay 

Found a plateful of cheese, on the shelf tucked away, 


146 


THE FAIRY OF THE MOONBEAM; 


It was put for the mice, 

And 'poisoned beside ! 

But he thought it so nice 
That he ate it, then cried : — 

“Water! water!” and died! 

And that was the end of Peter the Gay ! 

“ Well,” said tlie queen’s brother, as Karl finished— “I 
don’t think that is such a wonderful story.” 

“ Nor I,” said the queen. “ In fact, I think it is rather 
stupid,” she added. 

“ I’m sure it’s as good as any of your stories,” answered 
Karl, looking angrily at the queen’s brother ; “ I didn’t 
like—” 

“ Somersets ! turn somersets !” exclaimed the King of 
Fiddle-ma-ree, starting forward, and screaming at the top 
of his voice. “ Stop quarrelling and turn somersets.” 

The next moment the queen’s brother turned a somer- 
set, and knocked the queen over. Then he turned anoth- 
er, and that sent the king sprawling over on the other 
side. lie fell against Karl and bumped his hard wooden 
head upon the poor boy’s forehead with such violence 
that Karl cried out with the pain. 

But while he was rubbing his forehead with both his 
hands lie heard his mother’s voice saying : 


OR, karl’s queer stories. 


147 


“Karl! Karl! why are you not in bed? it is twelve 
o’clock.” 

Karl started, greatly astonished, and then asked : “Is 
my mother here, your Majesty ?” hut no answer came. 

lie looked around — the queen had disappeared, so had 
the King of Fiddle-ma-ree, and so had the queen’s brother 
— he was quite alone. 

“ Why, they’re all gone ! IIow am I to get home 
again, I should like to know?” he said half aloud, talking 
to himself, but still no one answered. Where had they 
gone ? 

Karl began to he frightened, but all at once he found 
himself in the library again— his school-books were scat- 
tered over the table, his slate was on the floor, where he 
remembered dropping it early in the evening, and the 
hands of the clock were pointing to twelve ! 

“ Karl ! what are you doing ? you ought to have been 
in bed three hours ago !” his mother called again. 

“I’m coming, mother,” he answered. But first he 
opened one or two of his books, to see if the stories were 
still to be found there. Alas, no! they had vanished, 
and lie only found the same old lessons on their pages. 

“ Dear me !” said Karl to himself, as he went slowly 
upstairs to bed. “ I wonder if I shall ever see the queen 


148 


THE FA III Y OF THE MOONBEAM. 


or the King of Fiddle-ma-ree again ? I do want to hear 
some more of those wonderful stories, and I meant to go 
back and ask the parrot to tell me all about the “Blue 
Calf.'’ I don’t see why mother had to call me so soon.” 

But Karl has never heard the rest of the stories, for 
the queer little old woman never came to visit him again ? 
although lie has watched for her every moonlight night. 


































































































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